Two Demons of the Western Plains
by Jet.2DA
Summary: The years have passed and Sesshomaru has settled in a vast forest, but when two new females end up in his care, he'll be more burdened than ever. But will something good come out of it in the end? Something unimaginable for the great demon? SesshxOC
1. Chapter 1

_**Two Demons of the Western Plains**_

By Jet

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I do not own any of the original Inuyasha characters, but the rest are mine, so stay away. Everything is fictional, story not based on anything except my own imagination, yatta yatta yatta...

Welcome to the Two Demons of the Western Plains!

The first thing you should know before reading is that this story is based off the ANIME – NOT the Manga! I never read the manga when I wrote this story, going only off what the anime gave me, HOWEVER I did add in some manga elements as I discovered them such as: Kikyo officially dies (finally), and everyone DID meet Sesshomaru's mother, BUT (as weird as this sounds) the Tensaiga is still only known as a healing sword (dont ask, just accept it). So! In that respect, we're going to assume a few things:

1 – It's been 2-3 years since the big adventure ended. Naraku is dead and everything/everyone is happy and settled. What happened with the Shikon Jewel? Don't know, don't care. But it's done.

2 – Inuyasha (still half-demon) and Kagome (still human) are together in Kaede's village, Shippou is with them. Miroku and Sango are off on their lonesome, making babies or something, I don't know, they're not in the story.

3 – Sesshomaru's arm eventually grew back, and he, Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un are living in a decent sized manor in the middle of an old forest, one of his father's old domains. Oh, and somehow, his fluffy/boa is detachable.

4 - (just added) Since Japan finally released the second half of the anime, which allowed the show to end, we now have to assume this is based off the FIRST half of the anime, not the Kanketsu-hen version (think of it as Naruto vs Shippuden). So, with all that said and done, read on!

* * *

**One**

It was a normal day on the Western Plains. It was in the late afternoon when the demon Lord Sesshomaru was making his last round in the southern tip of his territory.

Sesshomaru was walking in a small, open field, completely surrounded by trees, the rose bed nearby clouded his scent a little, but not enough to keep him from smelling and hearing a rabbit scurry to its hole a good 15 meters off. A tiny puddle, no bigger than Rin herself, was at the edge of the clearing, right next to the roses, which were blooming beautifully here in early spring.

Rin and Jaken came through the line of trees behind him, looking around as he merely stood there, using all of his senses to scout the area around them.

"We will camp here for the night," he explained just as the two-headed dragon, Ah-Un, came through the trees after them.

"Yes, my lord," Jaken said and began collecting sticks and other small pieces of wood that were nearby. "Come Rin, help gather wood!" he yelled at her.

Rin was now about 10 years old, not much bigger than when Sesshomaru resurrected her, only an inch or two taller, hair a little longer as well. She was wearing a new, dark green and blue-checkered kimono, light purple flowers scattered on the design, which Jaken acquired for her on his latest excursion.

She lazily walked around the clearing, her feet skidding across the dirt as she went.

Sesshomaru looked over, noticing her odd pacing. She looked as if she were in a daze, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She bent over slowly and picked up a few long twigs she found, and began looking around for more, her eyes clear of any real expression. _We've been traveling all day, she must be exhausted._

Sesshomaru began walking towards the edge of the trees and vanished within the darkness that grew as the sun began setting faster and faster.

Sesshomaru was a good 100 yards away from the camp. He had stalked through the forest in complete silence, following a sound that he didn't quite recognize. Such a thing demanded his attention.

He slowed when he knew he was very close; there were no other sounds, just this weird... bubbly, almost fizzy sound, something that most certainly was not common in the middle of a forest. He tried to sniff the air, but the object was downwind of him, hindering his ability to sufficiently identify it at this distance.

His ears twitched as he could hear the starting of the fire back where Jaken and Rin were.

He snuck up to a large tree where he peered around the edge, his eyes scanning for the object, when his nose caught a whiff of human stench as he located a small abandoned barrel of some sort, leaning against a tree.

_Humans? In my territory? But for how long? ... How much longer will they have their lives to continue to roam?_

He stepped forward, unable to sense anyone nearby, and approached the barrel in which the bubbling came from. A foul stench filled his lungs, as the liquor was amazingly strong, and of bad taste as well.

Unable to sense the humans anywhere nearby, and knowing Jaken and Rin would be expecting him back soon, he stared down at the barrel with his usual expressionless face.

He took his foot and smashed the barrel into pieces, shards of wood flying all over the place, the small amount of liquor left soaked into the dry earth, absorbed like water. There hadn't been much rain lately and much of the area was quite dry.

At the sudden shift in wind direction, he was soon able to catch the smell of the humans who had trespassed, but it was very feint, meaning they were far away to the south and well out of his lands by now.

"Next time I won't be so lenient..." he thought aloud. For some reason, he just didn't feel up for hunting down a couple of worthless lives that had trespassed - and reeked with the foul stench of the horrible liquor no less.

By the time he had arrived back at the clearing, Jaken had already prepared their meal and were eating what vegetation they had picked up along the way.

Sesshomaru came over and sat by the fire, not far from where Ah-Un curled up for the night. He ignored them completely, merely staring into the fire, watching its every flicker, its very element of uncertainty and wildness. It seemed to captivate him, draw him into its silent spell of destruction, hidden by its beauty and grace.

But Rin came to his rescue.

Sesshomaru heard her approach, bringing him back to reality. He stared at her as she brought two roses she had collected from the patch over to him.

"Here, Lord Sesshomaru. I picked these for you while you were gone," she said sweet and innocently. She smiled up at him, but he only stared back. But she didn't take this personally, she was used to just getting stared down whenever she did something like this. She set the roses down next to him where she knew they would be safe.

As soon as she popped back up, smile still on her face, it quickly faded, an odd expression overcoming her face. Her eyes shut tight and she covered her mouth, unable to help but throw her head down quickly, letting out an odd sound: "Achoo!"

She wiped her nose with her kimono sleeve. "Excuse me..."

"You stupid girl!" Jaken screeched. "You sneezed on Lord Sesshomaru! You're getting your human germs all over him!"

Rin turned to Jaken angrily: "I am NOT! I covered my mouth!"

Sesshomaru ignored their bickering, like usual, and then caught a scent he was very familiar with while looking down at the roses. He noticed something on one of them before smelling the strange aroma elsewhere.

"Don't give me that! I saw you sneeze on him like he was the tissue!"

"I did NOT!" she yelled back.

To Rin's surprise, Sesshomaru grasped her left hand gently. She watched in bewilderment as he flipped her hand over. Jaken, too, was boggled as to why he was touching 'it'. Rin looked down at her hand and saw a small scratch on her hand where fresh blood was seeping through.

"The thorns on the roses were sharp..." she explained bashfully. She took a few steps back, "I'll go wash it off..." she said, looking at Sesshomaru shyly, as if she were embarrassed to have been cut on the thorns.

She turned and began walking over to the pond.

Sesshomaru's gaze turned back to the fire, the scent of blood fading except for the small drop on the rose's thorn.

"Unbelievable! First she gives him roses with thorns then sneezes on him! How disrespectful!" Jaken mumbled under his breath, but due to his dog side, Sesshomaru was able to hear it very clearly.

Later that night, Rin was already settled in and fast asleep. Sesshomaru was still sitting on the log, staring off into the fire, but kept all senses alert for even the slightest notion of something other than a normal animal being nearby.

Jaken was just coming back from behind a tree after having been woken up when Rin rolled over in her sleep and kicked him in the head. Since he was up, he went behind some trees to answer nature's call.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru called.

Jaken waddled over at his call, "Yes, My Lord?"

"Have you noticed anything strange about Rin?"

The imp tilted his head, curious of the question. "What do you mean?"

"... She acts strangely. There's something odd about her."

"It's probably just another human fault," he waved it off, hardly affected by such thoughts.

"Maybe... Make sure she's taken care of."

"Uh, of course my Lord," he said, bowing his head. He began waddling back when a thought occurred to him; "May I ask - huh?"

He had turned around to find Sesshomaru completely gone. "... Why...?"

Sesshomaru had leapt to a high branch in a single powerful bound, settling down on it easily, the high perch overlooking the entire clearing and able to see over the tops of many surrounding trees. He remained upon this high branch well into the night...

At one point he looked down at the three loyal followers: Jaken was getting kicked by Rin again, so he was cursing about the "stupid human girl" like usual. Rin seemed to be having a peaceful dream though - even if she was kicking around. Perhaps she _was _dreaming of kicking Jaken?

Ah-Un, whom they slept nearby, did not seem perturbed by any of this at all.

It was at that point that he remembered the two roses in his claws, both in full bloom, which seemed to radiate in the light of the full moon. He never really cared for the smell of roses, despite their popularity, and these were no exception.

He switched the roses over to his left hand and felt several small pinpricks against his palm and claws; the rose thorns had pierced his skin slightly, the dark red color starting to surface, but his body healed the wound up before it could get there. He then held the roses out at arm's length, grasping them firmly with his fingers, avoiding the thorns even though they did not matter.

He stared at the flowers, which he admitted were quite lovely, but ever since he was young, he had for some reason disliked all sorts of flowers. There was only one kind of flower he had seen that had survived his wrath, but hadn't seen it since his younger years.

Now he lifted his right hand to hover over both roses, the moon right behind them from his view. He hesitated only a moment before his hand became a fist, crushing the petals within his grip.

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed down in the clearing, distracted by Rin's coughing. He stared down at her as it got worse, and she began coughing violently. She sat up, wide awake, choking on air, unable to stop. She got to her feet clumsily and walked over to the small pond where she began drinking handfuls of water, calming her cough.

Once settled, she returned to her bed in no time at all, falling back asleep almost instantly.

Only after she was back to kicking Jaken did Sesshomaru return his attention back to the roses and the task at hand. He lifted his hand up, all the rose petals within his grasp. As if on cue, a strong wind started up. He turned his hand over and slowly opened it, letting the wind wisp the petals right out and fly in the air beyond even Sesshomaru's sight.

The wind died down again, just before the last two petals could leave his hand. Just as he was about to discard the stems, one of the petals fell off. He watched idly as it floated to the ground, landing just at the edge of the fire, making the petal look like fire itself.

He tossed the stems off to the side and held up the last, single petal by the tip of his claws, examining it.

Just like when the roses were full, the moon cast a sort of aura upon the petal, making it glow like a tiny white flame, with a red center.

Sesshomaru wasn't the superstitious type, but for some reason, this single petal felt forewarning, almost ominous to him. It was very rare when he got a feeling like this, but his deepest of instincts were screaming at him.

Upon making his decision, he closed his hand again, keeping the petal safe as the wind began to pick up again. He took the petal and tucked it into his sash, retightening it to make sure it did not go anywhere.

He would check to see if the feeling remained later.

Sesshomaru stayed awake the rest of the night, keeping watch over the area, constantly listening to Jaken curse at Rin for being so restless in her sleep. A few times did he hear her start to cough, but she was able to keep it under control without having to wake up.

After making a quick patrol around the area, the sun rising over the forest, he returned to find Jaken awake and starting to clean up camp, while Rin still snoozed away at Ah-Un's side; only one of the heads seemed to be awake and glancing around.

As Sesshomaru approached, he reminded Jaken to see into Rin's sickness.

As if upon hearing his voice, Rin popped up awake, rubbed her eyes, and beamed up at him: "Good morning Lord Sesshomaru!"

Of course, Sesshomaru did not reply so warmly. "We leave soon."

"All right." She stood up and stretched her arms out, coughed a couple of times, then turned to Jaken like it never happened; "What's for breakfast?"

"You can eat later, first we must continue on," Sesshomaru explained as he began walking slowly towards the forest.

Ah-Un stood while Rin and Jaken gathered what little they had and joined up, Rin taking a quick drink from the pond and rinsing her hands and face off, her cough disappearing for now.

For an hour Sesshomaru continued to head south and cover the border of his territory, following the scents of the humans that had entered.

He had found where they made a small gathering, possibly a dozen of them, their scents too closely related to the stench of musk and body odor to distinguish one from another.

Though their scents were semi-strong - perhaps pungent was a better way to describe it - he could tell they were well out of his domain by now. He heard a grumbling noise, almost like a growl, but he turned around only to see it was Rin's stomach growling of hunger. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and giggled at her tummy, even though she tried to act as though it wasn't her. She didn't want her Lord to be concerned for her if it was indeed possible.

He began walking northwest of the human's scent, knowing there was another small opening nearby where they could stop and eat, a large creek flowing close as well in case Rin wanted to get cleaned up, as she often did. "I like to get cleaned up in the morning so I'll look clean all day!" he had heard her yell at Jaken one time when he complained that she took too many baths. Sesshomaru didn't really care what they did during the breaks, as long as she didn't make his nose cringe, baths were fine. Now if only Jaken would take a few more baths himself...

They approached the next clearing, one they had stopped at a week or two ago, which was actually a normal stop for them. Upon entering, Rin began running to the spot she always sat in, Jaken and the dragon waddling behind her.

Sesshomaru stayed at the edge, watching them as they set up for breakfast, scanning the area for any demons or other dangers. He detected none.

Jaken, obviously just as hungry, went to scavenging in an instant, Rin assisting him shortly after, finding a berry bush that was ready for the picking.

Sesshomaru turned back into the forest and began scouting the area surrounding the clearing. He hadn't gotten very far when he was suddenly overwhelmed with a strange feeling. This strange sensation was new to him; it almost felt like eyes were watching him… but all he could find was a single dove sitting on a nearby branch, watching the white demon even as it stopped and stared back.

The bird cooed and cocked his head oddly before returning to the sky above. Sesshomaru eyed it curiously, but was certain the bird was just an ordinary animal, and still the peculiar sense lingered, beating in his head along to the rhythm of his heart. It reminded him of the petal tucked in his sash - not to recheck its 'power' as he had meant to, but of the feeling he received from it in the night. Similar, and yet very different.

Strange.

As his scouting continued, he came to determine that the further he got away from the clearing, the smaller the feeling got.

After covering the area twice, he returned in time to see Jaken lounging about, relaxing after a hearty breakfast, while Rin was nowhere near, probably off taking her bath.

He walked up to Jaken, silent as usual. "Jaken,"

"Ahh!" he squealed, turning around quickly to see it was only his lord, but so quick it made him lose his balance and fall on his bum.

Sesshomaru just stared as Jaken did this, "Have you spoken to Rin?"

"Yes, my Lord, while you were out. She claims it's just a common cold, so I gave her an herb that will calm her coughing. She'll need to take this medicine daily until the cough goes away,"

"Keep an eye on her, it might be something more than a cold."

"Yes, my Lord..." he bowed courteously, curious as to what his lord meant by that.

Not long afterwards, Rin returned to the clearing with damp hair. "Welcome back, Lord Sesshomaru!" she greeted cheerfully.

What gave the demon lord an uneasy feeling now was that the strange sense he was getting earlier, that had lingered in his mind throughout the rest of his patrol, vanished instantly as she ran towards him.

"We leave shortly," he said bluntly and began walking straight north, his mind determined to figure out what could have happened to that sense he got a moment ago.

It didn't feel dangerous or deadly, per say, but he didn't feel safe about it either. It was just… there, a foreboding that surrounded them from every direction. Yet as soon as young Rin came forth, it disappeared without a trace. He did not like it one bit.

Jaken and Rin exchanged confused glances, wondering what made him act so strangely. Something about him just then seemed a little off. All the same, they did as they were told and put everything away before following after him once again.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Elsewhere...

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Eyes turned towards the front gates as hearty laughter filled the air. The mansion had been relatively quiet all morning, which everyone knew was because the Lord of the Manor had gone out with some friends and trusted guards the night before.

Everyone also knew they went out in order to have a drinking party.

The maids performing their chores in the front yard all stood to greet their returning lord as he stepped through the front gates, a cheerful grin on his face as he and his companions came waltzing through with smiles and laughs abound.

"Welcome home," the Lady of the House greeted as she came through the main doors of the mansion, two servants holding the door open for her, a maid and young girl at her back, also a maid of sorts.

"Ah… there's the woman I've been looking forward to seeing allllll night!" he smiled goofily as he approached his wife, nearly tripping on the stairs.

"How did your little party go?" she asked as he leaned into her for support, hardly realizing that she was leading him into the house, the two maiden girls right behind them. The rest of the party-goers eventually scattered, a few of them approaching some of the other ladies of the yard…

"It was great! Oh, you should have seen the place! One of the most beautiful forests I've ever seen…" he slurred terribly. "I'll have to take you out to see it sometime!"

"I'd love that," she replied simply, hardly paying him any mind as she led him to their chambers. As they approached, she turned to her two handmaidens with a serious face, "Come back later, there will be other chores for you in the meantime."

"Yes, My Lady…" the older girl bowed obediently, the smaller one bowing as well as the door was shut in their faces.

The woman sighed softly before gently leading the girl down the hall, "Come on, Kikka, let us see what else needs doing."

"Won't the others be needing their laundry picked up too?" she asked innocently.

"A few of them, perhaps, but we will wait a bit. It would be easier to collect them all at once," she smiled gently. _Kikka is so lucky to be oblivious to the truth of this world… or at least this manor. And if I tampered with that innocence, her sister would have my head on a platter!_ She thought grimly, remembering a time when Kikka's sister had gotten into a brawl with one of the older servants. It wasn't pretty, to say the least.

"What should we do in the meantime, Shiko?" Kikka asked as they started down the hallway.

Shiko was an average girl with medium black hair pulled back neatly, soft hazel eyes, and wearing a simple, maroon kimono. She'd been with this family since before Kikka's time, practically born into it when her mother joined the crew shortly after her birth. She would be going on fourteen later this year, and already knew what her birthday wish was; it'd only been the same for the past ten years: _Get me out of this place!_

For whatever reason, she had a feeling this would be her year. They were in a new home, a new area - who knew what could happen?

"Oh… I don't know… I guess we could help up front since some of the others will have been called away on… other business…"

"Okay!" she replied and led the way back towards the front yard.

Shiko sighed, glad to have slipped past her limits unscathed. Kikka was so cute and innocent; even without Lenezma around she had no desire to ruin Kikka's purity… the protective older sister was simply incentive.

After the two girls helped with the cleaning chores, they slipped back into the house where they collected the laundry and slipped out to the back yard, where the laundry girl of the house waited.

She was not at her post when they arrived, however, instead sitting several feet away beside the flower gardens, tending to the plants. It was, after all, a side position of hers, as was cooking and, in rare cases, she would help with cleaning the house.

The masters liked to keep her out of sight as much as possible.

The young woman was about sixteen, with long black hair pulled back in a loose bun, her wild bangs fluttering over her eyes. Her dark eyes were peaceful as she sniffed at the roses and daisies…

She would have been one of the loveliest women in the manor if not for her current condition. Even at the young age of thirteen, everyone could tell that she was going to be exceptional when she matured into a full adult, and that she would have been if not for the accident a couple of years ago…

Lost in her own world, the scents of the flowers did not ease her soul like normal. Instead, she could not help but think on the strange dreams she'd had repeatedly.

The family was originally from further southeast, but the lord had inherited this new mansion from an uncle or some other rich relative. They'd moved in just a few weeks ago, and these dreams had been haunting her mind ever since.

"Leny!" Kikka cried joyously as she came running over, an armful of clothes. "Leny we came to see you!"

Lenezma - or 'Leny' as Kikka called her - turned to the approaching girl, a smile spreading across her disfigured face, pulling her away from the dreary thoughts that plagued her mind. "Hi, Kikka," she replied gently.

Kikka dropped the clothes carelessly next to the washing bin before running at her sister, hugging her upon impact.

Kikka was only about nine years old with brown eyes and long, loose black hair; she was the lone sibling of Lenezma and the only family they had left. Kikka bore several similar facial features as Lenezma, both resembling their mother, but they received completely different aspects from their fathers - they were only half-sisters, after all.

"We brought clothes!" she announced.

"Did you? Well, thank you… Have you been behaving, today?"

Kikka nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh!"

"Well, of course!" Shiko added as she also set the clothes down. "When hasn't Kikka been on her best behavior?"

"Oh, she's had her moments," Len smiled before her fingers immediately sent Kikka into a fit of giggles, tickling her sides.

Shiko stood to the side easily, laughing at Kikka's struggles to escape the tickle attack. Lenezma had such a good soul… she was the best sister anyone could ask for, and the accident had done little to alter her personality. At times, it seemed that Lenezma was actually glad to have the horrible scar - it allowed her to escape many of the horrors the rest of them still faced.

Kikka slowly sat up, catching her breath as she watched Lenezma go over and sit by the washing bin, warm soapy water already in wait. She was good at guessing when clothes were coming, so often had the water ready by the time the laundry arrived.

"So the lord returned, I take it," Len started, glancing up at Shiko as she started to scrub one of the kimonos.

"Yes, about half an hour ago," she replied before settling next to the bin as well. "They went to the great forest north of here. He said it was very lovely…" she faded as she began rolling up her sleeves, a melancholic expression in her eyes as she spoke.

Len noticed it easily. "I bet it is… But don't worry, knowing the lord he'll want to take the lady and a lot of you out there for another party. And with the lady there, it'll be a decent party," she grinned lightly, knowing Shiko would catch her understanding.

"I still feel bad that you don't get to come with us," she spoke gently as she finished scrubbing a shirt, dunking it in fresh water before handing it to Kikka where she went to the line and hung it to dry.

"Oh, please! I'm grateful more than anything! It's so nice and peaceful here without everyone bugging you…"

"But they're usually pretty fun! They have music and dancing and…"

"And sake?"

Shiko nodded her head to the left and right, "Well, yeah… but…"

"Don't worry about it, Shiko. I appreciate your kindness, but I'm really not worried about it. Kikka's still too young to go, so she gets to stay home with me and some of the other maids. Trust me, we tend to have our own bits of fun without that whole mess involved!" Lenezma smiled as she also handed some clothes off to Kikka.

And suddenly Shiko grinned wickedly: "But Master Dolce is at the parties…"

Len hesitated for a moment.

Dolce was the only son of the Lord and Lady, just a year younger than she. He'd been taken with Lenezma ever since she and Kikka first came to the manner five years ago, and had done just about everything to show Len just how much he liked her. Even after her accident, he was the only male who still showed her fond attention.

But there was one thing wrong with this whole scenario.

Despite all of his efforts to woo Lenezma, she did not like him in return. Besides, his parents would never let him marry a servant girl, especially the scarred one that they rarely let leave the manor - they had a reputation to protect, after all.

Len grit her teeth as she scrubbed at the kimono roughly.

"All the more reason for me to stay away,"

Shiko blinked oddly at the woman across from her. "You know, I just don't get it… Master Dolce could be the key out of here! He could get you away from all of this and give you a comfortable life, but you still reject him… I don't understand this."

"It's… complicated," she replied vaguely with a sigh. "For one, his parents would never allow it, and two… he's just… not my kind of man…"

Shiko stared with wide eyes. She side-glanced at Kikka, making sure she was out of earshot, and then leaned in to whisper: "You say that knowing what kind of place this is?" she asked, almost incredulously.

Len's washing slowed a moment at her words, considering them, but unable to deny her true feelings and thoughts. "He is indeed a saint among sinners," she replied thoughtfully, "but I know what I feel to be true… There's a better life out there, Shiko, and it's not far away, I'm sure of it…"

Again, the older maiden cocked her head oddly at her friend. "You sound as if you know something…"

"… Maybe I do…? I don't know, I just… feel something…" she faded, thinking again of the dreams she'd been having, remembering the fields of white grass, of the ashes that burst into flame, and the song… the bird's song that she'd wake up to every time, leaving her full of hope… and fear.

"Something is about to happen, I'm sure of it! And when it does, you'll know it by the crisp sound of birds, singing of peace and freedom! It's not far off, I'm sure of it."

Shiko continued to eye her friend, considering her words and thoughts, reflecting and comparing them to her own…

_Perhaps this will be the year for my wish to finally come true…_

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

A few days passed and manor activity went on just the same as always: Kikka worked at Shiko's side, assisting the Lady in any way possible, while Lenezma tended to her chores out of sight of any guests.

That evening, when Lenezma returned inside with freshly laundered clothes, she could instantly tell something was up: there were more guests than usual hanging about the front portions of the house, many of the maids and servants with them as well.

"Lenezma! There you are!" a male's voice called as he approached. He was a young man around Lenezma's age, smaller in height with short, wild black hair and dark brown eyes. "I've been looking for you!"

"Forgive me, my lord, I was finishing up the laundry," she replied with a curt bow. _This _was Dolce, the son of the Lord and the man who'd had his heart set on Len for the past five years.

"Don't even worry about those!" he pointed to the basket of dry clothes. "Go and get ready and meet up front!"

Her brow raised slightly, "Your pardon?"

"My father is taking practically everyone into the forest for a big party! You and Kikka are invited to come with us!" he replied excitedly, staring joyously into her eyes, paying no attention to the jagged scar that crossed her face so cruelly.

"… Oh…" was all she could say amidst her astonishment.

"Isn't it great? So, come on! Go get ready and I'll meet you in the front!" he grinned before turning to head back out to where the guests waited.

Her eyes closed as her heart sank painfully.

This was Dolce's doing. It had to be, the Lord wouldn't allow her to come of his own free will, and the Lady liked her even less than him so it _had _to be Dolce who managed to persuade them.

Len returned to her room and set the basket of clothes down to deal with later, moving towards the small, flimsy chest where Kikka's and her clothes were stored.

She could tell that Kikka had already heard the news, her best kimono was missing, the pale yellow one with pink flowers and small blue birds.

Len then sorted through her sad pile of about five different options, four of them faded and worn with little color. She went ahead and grabbed her best one as well, a dark green kimono with red lining and small red berries.

As she finished, she fixed her hair in the tiny hand mirror, a simple bun with the ends hanging out from the bottom, and some hair falling down the side of her face, always ensuring that her ears were mostly covered; it was annoying, but she was very self-conscious of her ears. As she gazed at her appearance, however, she faltered at the vision of her own face…

A thick, jagged pink line of sensitive flesh cascaded from her forehead to her jaw bone, right to left, slipping down the side of her nose beside her left eye. There was also a shorter one just below her right eye that stops just before her lips, and a third one beneath her other eye, but more to the side.

Her hands gracefully caressed the wounds, feeling the smooth and sickly pink skin that marked her face, destroying most of her beauty… but it did not hurt, and it saved her from so much harassment… it was welcomed.

As she turned away to glance around their tiny room, a strange sensation overcame her.

The room was made up of five small beds, a changing curtain, and a tiny chest for every girl that shared the room. The room was quite pathetic, small and cramped with room for only two small pots of fresh flowers for which the other girls were often thankful; it was the one bit of life and beauty they had, they often told her. And now, as she stared, something bothered her… she could not figure out why, but suddenly the room seemed very distant from her…

Shaking her head free of these strange thoughts, Lenezma rushed out in order to join the gathering crew. As she passed the other rooms, it seemed that the lord was leaving behind only the oldest and youngest maids with a measly five guards - men who were probably being punished for something.

"Glad you could join us," the lord, who just happened to notice her entrance, growled impatiently.

"My apologies, my Lord… I was only just informed," Len bowed, keeping her face down and hidden from others, fighting back a retort. She hated the lord even more than he hated her.

"Hmph!" He turned to the rest of the crowd, an equal number of "honored" guests and house slaves in attendance. "I have called all of you here to tell you that in just a few short minutes, we're heading out to the forest for a huge celebration!"

Almost all of them, guests and servants alike, broke out into cheers, glad to hear it… all but Len, who had decided long ago that she would rather stay home.

She glanced around to find Kikka at Shiko's side, Shiko clapping softly at the lord's words, while Kikka bounced up and down, holding onto Shiko's sleeve with a grin. This was her first party… and she was holding on to Shiko for support.

Len's eyes fell to the floor before forcing them back on the lord and lady, unable to help but glare at them as her natural instinct told her to. _Oh well, I guess it was to be expected she'd be at Shiko's side… She's been a constant companion for some months now, after all… while I hide out of sight… _she thought miserably, her fists clenching tightly as anger built up within her, a ferocious power that rarely escaped her but wreaked havoc when it did… what she wouldn't do to release it on these idiots…

"Some of the servants have already gone ahead and prepared the site, so if the rest of you could carry the condiments we'll be on our way!"

The guests cheered loudly as they followed the Lord and Lady out of the front gates, the servants a little less enthused.

Begrudgingly, Lenezma turned towards the kitchen where she found the items to be taken out to the forest. She grumbled angrily, her fists clenching again.

There was not nearly as much food as there was alcohol being taken.

She watched as Shiko and Kikka took platters of food, talking excitedly amongst themselves, and as she watched, she felt the anger inside swell… and then forced herself to accept it.

Kikka and Shiko were the only ones she liked, and to be left out of their group kind of hurt her. _Jealousy is a bitch…_ she mumbled before accepting a tray of dishes to be used for the food and drinks.

She followed the ranks and headed into the dark forest as she was told… she just hoped this night would go by fast - she had no desire to be stuck with these people all night.

Her eyes wandered towards the evening sky, seeing the thick gray clouds loom overhead ominously… _Especially if it rains…_

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"Hmm?" Rin wondered as Sesshomaru suddenly stopped. Her feet continued to kick idly from Ah-Un's back, all three of their heads watching their Lord as he looked towards the south. Perhaps he heard something?

Even Jaken waddled up beside him curiously; "Uh, My Lord?"

Sesshomaru stared in silence, unmoving…

"Rin."

Her head perked up at his calling. "Uh, yes, My Lord?"

"Stay here with Ah-Un," he ordered her before slipping through the trees, heading back to the south.

"Ah! Wait Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried helplessly as he ran after the white demon, realizing a second late that he did not order Jaken to stay - he wanted him for something.

"Okay, come back soon!" Rin waved him off, but he did not notice nor look back at her as he disappeared into the darkness. "Come, Ah-Un! Let's find some place to hide while we wait for Lord Sesshomaru to return!" she smiled cheerfully at the two-headed beast, knowing that the storm would soon break overhead.

The dragon growled his agreement before turning back towards a thick patch of woods that they'd passed earlier.

"My Lord!" Jaken cried in between pants as he struggled to keep up with Sesshomaru's brisk walk. "Might I ask… where we're going?"

"They're back," he replied callously.

"Uh… 'back'?" he eyed him curiously.

"Humans."

* * *

And there it was - Chapter One!  
Hopefully this got you interested and you will go on to read more. If not, at least read chapter two and _then _decide (two helps to draw you in). Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

By the time everyone arrived, the sun was sitting just on the horizon, but provided no light in the thick forest. The clearing was lined with dozens of lanterns, several raised up in the middle for additional light, attempting to illuminate the dark and mysterious trees.

All the way there, however, Len felt anxious, apprehensive. Something was wrong here.

She set her platter down beside the other trays of food before slipping away to an isolated corner of the clearing. If she could have her way, she would've taken Kikka and disappeared into the trees entirely, but she was acutely aware of the regular guard, where they were stationed, and their watching eyes. But even if she had found a moment to escape, fear kept her back; every fiber in her being told her there was something dangerous in those trees.

"Leny!" Kikka cried before rushing to her side, grabbing onto her kimono comfortingly. "There you are! We were looking for you!"

"Dolce told us how you were invited as well," Shiko smiled as she approached after Kikka.

"Sadly…" she mumbled, one hand resting on Kikka's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Leny?" she asked curiously, able to see that her sister was uneasy about something.

Len smiled gently down before glancing around the clearing gravely. "It's nothing, I just… sense something…"

"Hmm?" Shiko raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh… nothing… I think I am just nervous by all of these people," she replied. Shiko nodded kindly, realizing that she was self-conscious of the scar that crossed her face.

For the most part, Shiko, Len and Kikka stayed out of the festivities and drunken stupor of everyone else, Shiko and Kikka occasionally dancing in their small corner. The family had hired a small band of musicians to play for the party, and they were actually pretty good.

Lenezma found that she could not escape, however, when Dolce came up to them with the usual grin. Apparently he wasn't drinking; instead, he found that watching everyone act stupid and drunk was better entertainment than the booze could bring him.

"Come on Lenezma, join in the dance!" he pleaded as he approached, pointing to Shiko and Kikka's merry prancing.

"I'm really not up to it…" she spoke coldly, shying her face away, realizing too late that she had not spoken to or addressed him properly, but Dolce didn't seem to notice:

"Ah, come on! Just one, please?"

But Len just stared at him. Shiko and Kikka came closer then, no longer dancing…

Suddenly Dolce took her hands and held them tenderly in his own; she gasped at his touch, and could not help but stare into his eyes. "Is it because of that scar? Lenezma, I don't care about that! You're just as beautiful to me now as you ever were!"

Shiko's heart warmed instantly at his words, a woman's natural attraction to romance filling her with warmth at such sweet words. _Oh, Lenezma! How can you say no to such a thing? Can't you see how much he loves you?_

At her side, Kikka merely watched in awe – she'd never been exposed to such a declaration.

Len's eyes slowly fell to her hands, still caught in his own… she slowly raised her eyes again, but Shiko could see the gloom before she spoke.

"Dolce, I…" she faded.

"Yes?" he waited eagerly, mistaking her emotional distress for a good thing.

"I…"

Suddenly the music stopped.

Many voices questioned this action and turned to the band, all staring at something just to the left of them. As the other eyes came to recognize this new presence, members of the band stumbled frantically to get away, tripping on themselves as they fled.

Since most of the party had been drinking, many of them still had no idea what was going on, few realizing that the figure that appeared was not on the guest list, and even fewer realized he wasn't even human.

"What's going on?" Shiko whispered, the four of them unable to see what everyone was looking at.

But all the same, Lenezma's heart was pounding heavily in her chest, every instinct in her body flaring on high alert.

The lord of the manor stumbled forward with a scowl, eyeing the tall white demon and his short green friend. "Hey! Who are you? What do you want?"

"Run…!" she tried to yell, but it barely escaped her lips as an exhausted whisper.

"What?" Dolce eyed her curiously.

"How dare you talk to my lord that way!" Jaken retorted, stepping in front of Sesshomaru, ready to ignite the staff of two heads.

"Run! Run now!" she spoke again, this time much clearer as she broke away from Dolce, suddenly heaving Kikka into her arms.

"Lenezma, what…?" Shiko tried asking as her friends began slinking back into the dark trees.

"Run!" she cried much more firmly before dashing off through the trees, holding Kikka tightly with fear pumping through her veins.

Golden eyes watched idly as a figure ran into the trees, hearing her words of warning to the other humans…

The demon turned back to the dumbfounded mass before him. "Jaken…"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, jabbing the staff into the ground. The bottom draw dropped, and fire shot out at them fervently.

Lenezma ran on as fast as she could, hoping that Kikka could not hear their cries and screams...

After a minute or so, after an eerie silence had befallen the forest, Len was forced to take a break. She wasn't used to carrying such a heavy weight in her arms, and running made it all the more tiring.

She led Kikka into a tight growth of trees. "We'll hide here for a little bit, all right?" she panted, setting her down heavily before dropping to her knees.

Kikka nodded slowly as she watched Len catch her breath, unsure of what to make of all this. Why did they leave so suddenly? What happened to make Len run so far away?

"Um… Leny?"

"… Yeah…" she replied faintly.

"What… Why did we leave?"

Lenezma lifted her head gently, meeting Kikka's eyes. She was scared and confused… as she should be. She sighed; there was no avoiding it.

"There was a demon, Kikka."

The girl visibly shuddered. "A-Are you sure?"

The next look Len gave her was much more serious, a gaze with a deeper meaning behind her eyes. Kikka's eyes grew a bit and she nodded uneasily; she'd almost forgotten about Len's gifts.

Thunder rumbled overhead suddenly, surprising them. They continued to sit silently for a time, their eyes having to adjust to the dark with the sun quickly disappearing. Kikka sat fidgeting on a rock, anxiously wishing to speak, looking for reassurance from her more knowledgeable sister, but Lenezma had already warned her to keep quiet in case the demon came near. She kept her eyes on the ground, afraid to go looking into the trees where shadows seemed to move in the corners of her eyes no matter which direction she stared; she blinked curiously down at her feet, wondering what those two small round things were. She picked them up, thinking maybe they were just unusual rocks, but they were soft and velvety. _Are these... flower petals? _

Lenezma, having heard no signs of that demon that attacked the people of the manor, let herself relax a little, hoping beyond hope that it did not notice their escape and had gone elsewhere, or else set itself upon its just cooked feast. She felt terrible at the thought of leaving Shiko and even Dolce there to his mercy - she should have grabbed them too! Shiko, at the very least, but no, she left them to die while she selfishly saved herself and her sister. _Please forgive me..._

Leaning back against a tree, she let her eyes wander to her sister, unable to comfort the small girl, fearful of what they would have to endure now. As she watched, she realized the girl was eyeing something in her hands peculiarly.

"What did you find?" she whispered softly, hoping her voice was more confident than she really felt.

Kikka glanced up at her call, apprehensive of speaking back. "I think they are flower petals," she whispered back.

"Petals? Let me see..." Len replied warmly, holding her hand out. When Kikka placed it in her palm, she knew almost instantly that it was indeed a petal; curious, she put the petal to her nose to determine just what kind of bloom it belonged to.

"Leny?" Kikka whispered shakily, seeing the fear return to her sister's eyes in an instant.

Lenezma stood up quickly, taking Kikka into her arms once again, "Come on, we've got to try and get back to town," she whispered urgently, glancing around quickly before setting off once again.

_I hope I'm going the right way…_ Len thought as she continued on, praying that she didn't have her directions mixed up.

She went on, pushing herself to keep going. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't Dolce have left them at home? Then none of this would have happened…

Lenezma slipped down a small steep before gracefully jumping the creek that flowed at the bottom. As soon as she cleared it, she took another leap to arrive at the next line of trees, just as lightning flashed.

"Ah!" Len gasped, skidding to an abrupt halt as a figure in white appeared before her just as fast as the lightning flared.

She froze, her body quaking in fear before the great white demon; the demon stood at full stature in his black armor, a large fluffy at his shoulder and silver hair swaying in the slight breeze that blew through the trees. His golden eyes glared down at her and the girl in her arms with a menacing look.

_RUN!_ Her mind shouted, her body breaking into a sprint just as soon as she returned to reality.

Sesshomaru watched as the humans ran, waiting only a few seconds before taking chase.

Lenezma bolted with all her might, hardly able to keep track of what lye in front of her. How many branches did she run in to? How many malformations in the ground did she stumble over? How many more could she recover from with little thought?

She was clearing half of the obstacles in front of her without even thinking about it - rocks were jumped, trees were dodged, creek beds were for the most part ignored. The adrenaline in her system was putting her in overdrive and she felt stronger than ever.

But Sesshomaru was not far behind her, taking his time oddly enough.

Trailing behind several feet, he could not help but simply watch her. He could have easily ended this by now, but her speed was unreal - no human could run this fast, especially with a child in their arms. There was something off about this human…

As they ran, however, Sesshomaru soon realized he did not need to run so much. He gradually slowed to a walk, leaving Len to run to her heart's content; she would not be able to for much longer.

Hope soared through Len as the sun's light flared through the trees - there was an opening! She was almost out of here! Excitement pushed her harder, hoping that the opening would bring her freedom, that she might be able to escape his domain. She'd already left him in the dust, surely she could keep this up! _Yes! We're almost free!_

Lenezma broke through the tree line with all her strength… and cried out as she slammed on the brakes, nearly falling backwards before finally stopping just feet from the edge of a cliff.

Len walked to the edge carefully, looking around frantically for an escape, but there was none - he'd trapped her on a narrow cliff and there was no place to run. There was another cliff opposite her, but she'd never make it, especially with Kikka, it was much too high! And below was a river that raged through the canyon roughly, rocks jutting from the surface dangerously.

"No… No, no, NO!" she cried out helplessly.

She thought desperately, searching everywhere for any possible attempt. She had to get away, she just had to!

Her head whirled at the sounds of Sesshomaru's approaching footsteps. She didn't outrun him, he knew this was coming.

Her eyes narrowed at the trees, and her adrenaline returned to her.

She quickly kneeled down and set Kikka on her feet, determined not to let the girl's tears break her down. She couldn't lose focus, not now!

"Come on, Kikka! I'm getting us out of here!" Len spoke determinedly.

"But… there's nowhere to go!" she sobbed, looking around at the cliff's edge.

"Trust me!" she cried out, holding Kikka's hands tightly, fighting to keep this energy inside of her riled up. Slowly, the girl nodded.

As Sesshomaru stepped through the trees, he was not a hundred percent sure what this unusual human might do, yet when he found her, he was not all that surprised.

Lenezma glanced back at him quickly, catching the challenging glint in his eye. He was practically daring her to do it… She narrowed her eyes.

She turned back to the cliff, firm in her decision. "Hang on tight!" she urged Kikka, despite the girl's already choking hold around her neck. With a slow exhale, Lenezma darted, running as hard and fast as she could.

Sesshomaru idly walked to the edge of the cliff and watched as the scarred human, who'd already surprised him in speed, now attempted to jump a 20-25 foot ditch.

According to the laws of physics, an object will retain its motion and speed even after leaving the source; that in mind, Lenezma was able to leap from the cliff's edge at a decent speed, propelling her forward towards the opposite ledge.

Len was being choked all the way across, Kikka's initial scream blowing an eardrum, but she fought to remain focused - she was almost there!

Her hands reached out, clipping the handles and clefts in the rocky cliff wall, struggling to catch on. Her body was closing in on the wall fast, and still she could not catch on; her torso, arms and legs were scratched badly, her fingers nearly breaking off as she practically slammed into the wall, using the slight decline in speed to finally grasp on.

They dangled there, almost limply, for several seconds, Len's mind taking those first few seconds just to register that they had actually made it, with a good fourteen feet before they would have crashed into the water no less.

Kikka, realizing that they'd stopped, struggled to lift herself up higher on Leny's back. As soon as she did, Lenezma gasped for air, suddenly realizing she could breathe once again.

With a second wind stirring, Lenezma began pulling herself up. Her feet felt around for shelves to push herself up with, finally managing to heave herself up higher. Before long, she was climbing the canyon wall, slowly but surely.

Her arms shook dangerously with every heave, her legs weak after the running and not of much use.

Kikka held on for dear life to her struggling sister, praying over and over for their safety, to make it to the cliff top and escape. Carefully she glanced down at the churning waters so far below, remembering with great fear that she did not know how to swim. She tried to glance back then, peering up and over her shoulder to find the man in white standing at the cliff's edge, watching them. He almost looked human, but Lenezma said he was a demon and she believed it; even at this distance, she could feel his eyes burning into them. "Leny…!" Kikka quivered into her shoulder hopelessly, terror filling the young girl's heart.

"Don't worry… I won't… let you get hurt…! We… we're going to make it… all right?" she managed to reply, her labors unable to get them far. She was growing weaker with every climb, and there was only one place big enough to support them that she could see, but it was still another five feet above them. _If I can just make it there… If I can just…!_

Her bloody hands grasped the next ledge and the next, shaking horribly as she stretched as high as she could, her finger tips playing with the ledge. _Almost there! Come on!_

In one final attempt to grab it, her feet pushed off of their holds, jumping her up just enough that her hand clung to the edge. _I've got it! I got it!_ She smiled triumphantly, holding on with dear life as her other arm rose and grabbed on, her feet fighting for new holds…

Her dark brown eyes widened in fear.

The ledge crumbled away at her hands… and she fell.

_I can't grab on again… I just can't…_ she thought hopelessly as she plummeted towards the river below, sensing her consciousness fading.

Just then, another voice suddenly cried out to her… "Leny!"

_Kikka!_ Len's eyes widened again, nearly forgetting her sister's presence as they fell, backs down. With her last bit of strength, just within feet of the river, Lenezma flipped herself in midair, crashing into the rapids with a painful belly-flop…

From high up on the cliff, Sesshomaru merely stood there, watching everything idly. Just as well that they fell, even if by some miracle the woman had managed to reach the ledge, he could've dispatched them without even moving from this spot. Had they managed to reach the top, he could've leapt the gorge with minimal effort and destroyed them there as well. But now they were being taken swiftly downstream, and the hunt would have to wait.

With little thought, he began making his way down river. Rin was in the general area, and Jaken would surely have returned to her by now. If the humans survived, he would know soon enough…

Lenezma struggled to swim, fighting the current as best she could, but she was barely able to keep their heads above the water. Her strength was fading faster and faster as time went on, and her adrenaline was taking longer to build up.

The less than graceful, face-first slam into the water had left her body aching terribly, her lungs fighting to keep air in and water out, her arms flailing helplessly in the water. The sounds of Kikka's coughs were all that kept her going. She just couldn't give up… she couldn't! Not with Kikka facing the same doom!

"Lenezma!" she coughed, crying at the same time. Her grasp tightened as lightning flashed overhead. "Lenezma…!"

"Hang on!" she cried out, swallowing a mouthful of water in the attempt. "Just hang…" she started, her words muffled by the roar of the water and the coughing, "Kikka…!"

Suddenly Lenezma slammed into something under the water, large enough to momentarily catch her against the tide.

Her hands struggled to grasp around the slippery object, holding on as best she could, the large rock visible just beneath the surface.

Her eyes quickly began scanning their surroundings, searching for any means of escape, but cliff walls resided all around them.

Water sprayed all around her, pushing against her, her grip on the rock faltering fast. _I have to get out of here! But… There!_ She realized, finding a place in the wall that sunk lower towards the river, where, to her delight, the water was calmer thanks to a few large rocks right before it.

"Get ready, Kikka!" she warned her younger sister, her hands and feet preparing to push off towards the other rocks. "Here we go!"

In an instant water splashed into their faces as they left the safety of the submerged rock, Lenezma swimming with all her might. If she could just reach the rocks… almost…!

_Got it!_

Lenezma was swept right into the calm waters, her body instantly allowed a break against the churning waters. She panted as she slowly moved towards the wall, grabbing on to the cliff for support as both she and Kikka took a moment to breath and cough out some of the water in their lungs. It was the first lucky break she'd had all night…

Several moments passed before her aching arms were once again put to the test of rock climbing. But even though the wall was lower, and the footholds were strong and numerous, she now bore the weight of lifting their sopping wet clothes - an extra several pounds added to her labor.

After what seemed an eternity, she lifted with all her might, pulling herself onto dry land with one final heave of strength… and then she collapsed.

Kikka, still coughing, managed to climb up onto land, sitting on her hands and knees where she began throwing up, her body fighting to get the water out of her system.

Feeling much better, she turned to her sister, laying on the cliff's edge with her feet dangling over the side, her consciousness slipping away.

"Leny… Leny!" she called wearily, frightened for her sister's life. "Leny, wake up!" she called to her desperately, grabbing her hands and pulling with all her might. She didn't know how far she could get her, but… _I have to try!_ She encouraged herself, remembering how hard Lenezma tried to protect and save her.

Kikka pulled her all the way from the edge, dragging her limp body nearly fifteen feet to a grove of trees. "Leny… Leny, please wake up!" she cried again and again, sobbing as tears streamed down her cheeks. She had managed to prop her up a little against a massive trunk, but the older sister could not stay awake; her breathing was faint and her eyes flickered, as if fighting to regain her consciousness, but to no avail.

"Kikka…"

"Lenezma!" she cried out. "You're okay!"

Like Kikka, Lenezma rolled to the other side and began coughing up a lungful of water, gasping for fresh air.

Slowly, she turned back over, sitting up and sharing the same weary and exhausted look as Kikka. Lenezma had overexerted herself and she was quickly beginning to feel the effect. How she was even managing to stay awake was a miracle in itself.

"I'm so cold…" Kikka shivered, her arms crossed over her chest, her teeth beginning to chatter.

Sympathy tugged at Len's heart, and she immediately pulled Kikka into her embrace. She had no idea how much her own wet body would help, but surely it was better than nothing.

After a moment or so, her shivers lessened, but their fears did not as the last of the sun's rays were all that gave them light besides the occasional flash of lightning from above.

"Leny…" she quivered, "what are we going to do now…?"

Her eyes fell to look upon her poor sister. The poor girl had been through so much in a very short time span… surely it would not all be in vain?

The embrace tightened as Len nuzzled her hair comfortingly. "I don't know… but I'll think of something… Right now, let's just rest for a minute, all right?"

Kikka nodded silently as she curled against her sister as much as possible, both fighting the desire to fall asleep - they feared they would not wake up. Only after a good ten minutes did they finally come to a stand, knowing that the upcoming rain would make it a miserable night to wander helplessly in this thick, dark forest. They had to go on.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Ah-Un watched the ongoing storm through the canopy, the lightning becoming more frequent as rain finally broke, the thick canopy making it feel like little more than a sprinkle.

Beside him, Rin waited patiently for their master to return, all the while ignoring the endless bickering of the imp that had returned without their lord.

"Hmm…" she wondered aloud, staring at Jaken as he paced back and forth restlessly. "Are you sure you went with Lord Sesshomaru?"

"What? Of course I did, you stupid girl!"

"Then why didn't he come back with you?"

"Because there were other matters to attend!"

"Why didn't you go with him, then?"

Jaken hesitated, remembering how Sesshomaru had flatly told him to return to Rin before going off on his own without any explanation. "Grr… that's none of your business!"

Rin sighed; she disliked being around Jaken without Sesshomaru for too long. He was rarely mean to her while Sesshomaru was around.

"Why did he run off so suddenly like that?"

"Grr… _We_ went off to take care of some trespassing… er…" he wavered, knowing that Sesshomaru would punish him severely if he told Rin they slaughtered some humans.

"Well?" she persisted.

"Would you give me a minute! I'm trying to think of what they're called!" Jaken screeched, jumping up and down.

"Just call them demons…" she replied indifferently with a sigh, only one eye resting on the infuriated imp, her chin resting in her hand in obvious boredom.

Jaken had only begun to start yelling and cursing when Rin stood and began walking away from them. "Hey!" he shouted, "Where do you think you're going! I'm talking here!"

"I'll be right back," she called, still walking.

"Rin!" the imp shouted even louder. This time, the dragons also growled low in their throats as she walked away from them, but out of concern rather than anger.

"I just have to go to the bathroom! I'll be right back!" she turned around, but incited more cursing from the imp as she spoke to Ah-Un and not him.

Rin slipped away from them quickly, her fists tightening as she thought of Jaken. _Why is he always so mean to me? What have I ever done to him? He was nice to me for a long time and then he started getting mean again! Ooh, what I wouldn't do to…_

In reality, Rin did not have to go, she just wanted an excuse to get away from the imp. She knew better than to wander too far, especially if Lord Sesshomaru would be returning to them soon, but even in these dark trees it was nice to have some peace and quiet. She stepped onto a worn path, humming lightly to herself when she suddenly stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide as she came upon two complete strangers, a young woman and a girl about her own age.

Lenezma and Kikka stopped as well, completely shocked by the presence of this little girl, stepping out from the trees just feet in front of them.

An eerie silence overcame them before Rin decided to speak first: "Wh… what are you doing here?"

"Us?" Len asked, taken aback. "Why are _you_ here? Are you out here alone?"

"I… uh…" Rin stuttered, not sure how to answer. Previous run-ins with other humans had taught her to avoid mentioning her demonic party - those encounters never ended well. Suddenly, before she could think of an answer, the two strangers approached and the oldest held out her hand gently.

"Come on… It's not safe here by yourself. There's a dangerous demon around… you'll be safer with us," she spoke kindly.

Young Rin hesitated, still confused by these people and how they came here. They seemed nice enough, and the other girl clung to this woman's side tightly, obviously trusting her protection. What if they were telling the truth? Was there really a dangerous demon around? Maybe it had chased them into Sesshomaru's territory? _Maybe I should tell Lord Sesshomaru? He would want to get rid of it as soon as possible._

"It's all right," the girl suddenly spoke up, smiling gently as her way of convincing Rin. "My name is Kikka, and this is my sister, Leny. What's your name?"

"… Rin…" she replied after further debate.

The girl, Kikka, seemed normal enough, but Leny seemed different. There was a strange, almost gooey substance that seemed to cross her face, a faint pink color to it. Perhaps it was old blood or something? And her hair seemed awfully light compared to Kikka's. But she seemed so nice… there was such a trusting glow in her blue eyes.

After another moment of thought, Rin took Lenezma's hand and was carefully guided away into the night, the rain slowly beginning to pick up beyond the shelter of the trees… and she felt safe in their presence…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru followed their scents to a tightly covered shelter, expecting to find a zealous welcome from Rin and overexcitement from the green midget, with only mild acknowledgement from his two-headed dragon. Even though they'd found a good shelter, he was hoping to get Rin and Ah-Un back to the mansion before the rain got any heavier, even if he wasn't sure whether or not the scarred human and her child were still alive.

He had followed the river for a time, keeping an idle look out for them, but did not spot them anywhere. Either they had been sucked under or the river carried them farther than he anticipated. Or perhaps they managed to escape somewhere? The thought was almost amusing to him, and almost nagged at him enough to go looking again, but his followers were his priority, and he knew two weakened, fear stricken girls would not last long in this forest.

As he approached his companions, however, he could already hear Jaken's frantic blabbering at high speed, obviously freaking out over something. Rin probably got him riled up again…

But when he got within sight of them, he noticed that even the mild mannered dragon was standing and looking around anxiously. Something was wrong… where was Rin?

"Oh, where did that girl go? Lord Sesshomaru is going to KILL me!" he cried as he wandered through the trees, peering helplessly into the dark with the dragon at his heels.

"Jaken," he called as he approached, a less than pleased tone already in his voice.

The imp immediately broke out into hysteria at his master's voice. Jaken turned to Sesshomaru frantically, sobbing for fear of his life as he incoherently stammered what led to Rin's disappearance.

"Jaken!" he yelled, his anger beginning to show. "Where is Rin?"

Suddenly one of the dragon heads nudged him, whining softly as both heads nodded towards the trees.

Jaken whimpered on the spot, waiting for Sesshomaru to strike him… but he didn't. He turned and watched the white demon stalk off into the darkness, a less than pleased aura about him as he followed a faint trail through the rain, Ah-Un right behind him. Without a word, Jaken rushed to join them, but knew better than to speak, simply praying in his head…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Both of Rin's hands now grabbed on to Lenezma's, an uneasiness welling within her. "Wait, Leny…" she pleaded gently.

"Hmm? What is it, Rin?" she asked gently, Kikka also looking curiously over at the new girl. They had wanted to talk to each other, but Len warned them that the demon might hear them, so they remained silent.

"I… I don't think I should go any further! I'm already far from where I'm supposed to be!" she replied nervously, continuously looking back at the path they'd come down.

With a weary expression, Len knelt down to Rin's height, holding her hand tightly; Rin could hear the concern in her voice, see the genuine distress in her cerulean eyes: "What do you mean? I couldn't possibly leave you here! You know I don't want to see you get hurt!"

"I'll be okay, Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't let me get hurt!" Rin replied fervently, hoping to express just how much she meant what she said. But instead of seeing some form of understanding, a deep fear overwhelmed the gentle woman, and her grip tightened almost painfully.

_What? … Lord…?_

_Snap!_

Lenezma turned quickly, hearing fast approaching feet.

"Go!" she gasped, jumping back to her feet and pulling the girls swiftly behind her. "Run!" she urged them further, their feet just trying to keep up with her pace.

Sesshomaru hastened upon hearing their voices, recognizing the woman's. When he followed Rin's trail and found two other faint human scents interacting with hers, he knew the only possible answer was those girls he had chased into the river. Now he knew for certain that they lived and had obviously found their way here, but there was no way they would be able to tell that Rin was in his company.

As he gained on them, however, something else came to strike him as odd… _This scent… it's deteriorating…?_

"Leny!" Kikka cried out feebly, "I can't see where I'm going!"

"Trust me!" was her only response, her eyes leading her through the trees with little problem, but she was aware of the demon behind her; her concentration was faltering and before they could even run fifty yards, they broke through the trees in time to fall down a sudden ditch hidden in a blanket of mist.

All three girls cried out in shock as they fell, but Lenezma forced herself on. She helped them up quickly grabbing their hands and taking only a few steps before realizing they were trapped against yet another canyon wall. _Not another cliff…_ she sighed despondently, all hopes fading fast as the demon closed in on them.

"Come on, in here!" she ordered them quickly, leading them to a small crevice along the wall, just large enough for them to huddle up in, masked beneath the layer of fog that rose from the ground.

"What about you?" Rin asked frightfully.

"Don't worry about me! Just stay down!" she ordered them before turning just in time to watch Sesshomaru emerge from the trees. The mist and heavy rains clouded her vision, but the lightning outlined him very finely, and she was sure his yellow eyes glowed, glaring deeply as he approached.

Len readied herself. She was exhausted, she didn't stand a chance, but she had to guard them, to protect Kikka and even Rin!

As Sesshomaru came within feet of her, he narrowed his eyes curiously at the human. _Her hair…_

Drenched from head to foot, the human panted nervously, a strange black liquid oozing from her shoulders… As the rain continued to pour down, the girl's black hair seemed to melt away, to a dark brown with strange, silvery stripes. She seemed as oblivious to this fact as the melted goo on her face, another result of the rain, no doubt.

_This girl… she is no ordinary human…_

In a fatal attempt, Len rushed forward and made a swing with her right fist for Sesshomaru's face, but he dodged it easily with his amazing speed and grabbed her wrist in response, gripping it tightly instead.

Len gasped in pain as his hand started glowing green, feeling his venom sinking into her flesh, eating away at her skin where he held her.

Sesshomaru remained silent, continuing to pour a small amount of his venom into her arm, listening to her painful cries as she struggled against his hold.

He eyed her curiously as she struggled helplessly against him. She was too weak to fight him; the fact that she managed to get this far in her endeavors was nothing short of a miracle.

_No… she is anything but a simple human… the rain is washing away the false scent…_

"Let me go…!" she cried madly, knowing he wouldn't do it, but she could think of nothing else to do.

Suddenly she looked up at him, bearing a look of anger and desperation. He could see them… her eyes were blue… they were glowing.

Just then her other hand came around to strike him, but he merely caught it with his other hand. Holding her still, he was able to get a good look at her face…

Plain and simply, he did not like this.

With one violent thrust, he pushed her back against the cliff wall.

Lenezma cried out painfully as she crumpled to her knees, just a few inches to the side of the crevice where the girls hid with eyes closed. But at the sound of her agony, they could no longer screen their eyes, looking out in order to find Lenezma still struggling to protect them…

Ah-Un and Jaken, who'd arrived on the scene several moments ago, sat by in idle silence as the girl challenged their lord, but posed no threat.

Feeling cocky again, Jaken entered the fray; "You stupid human! What else did you think would happen if you challenged my - AHH!" he cried out in shock. One minute he was running to the girl, but as soon as he passed Sesshomaru, he instantly felt the lord's foot smash him into a small puddle, the imp struggling to keep his head above water to breath.

Rin's eyes widened and she turned her head towards the familiar voice, towards the oppressor…

Sesshomaru growled low in his throat as he glared down at the imp. He did not need his input. Just as he turned his attention back to the girl, who now leaned back against the rock, glaring at him in her pitiful state, the human child leapt out from behind her and stood between them, holding her arms out protectively, "No! Stop!"

Lightning flashed and Sesshomaru realized this was not the girl… it was Rin.

"Move, Rin,"

"Please, Lord Sesshomaru! Don't hurt her anymore!" the girl pleaded desperately.

Len watched curiously as the demon made no threatening move to the girl, not even attempting to harm anyone. She turned as Kikka suddenly appeared at her side, tears slipping down her eyes as she held on to her arm tightly, frightened for their lives.

"Rin," he spoke again, this time less forceful than he'd intended.

"Please, I'm begging you!" she cried, Sesshomaru unable to tell whether it were rain or actual tears that slipped down her cheeks. "She was only trying to protect me from a demon!"

Lenezma gasped inaudibly at these words, turning her gaze to Sesshomaru. When Len warned her of a demon, she was referring to this very devil before them now, but… _Rin doesn't know that… she still thinks it was another demon…_

_"Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't let me get hurt,"_

… _She must think he's simply protecting her against ME…_

As she watched the white demon's face, she had a feeling he also knew the truth in what was happening.

"Please!" she called again, unrelenting in her desire to save her new friends.

"… Rin…" Len whispered tenderly, touched by her passion.

Rin turned back to them easily, smiling as she callously turned her back on the white demon. "Don't worry… I won't let him hurt you," she spoke sweetly, a saintly sparkle in her eyes. "After all, I'm the reason he attacked you in the first place… It's the least I can do to make up for it,"

All four of them stared in awe at Rin's courage and integrity, standing up for them even though she didn't know a thing about them.

"You _idiot_, Rin! Get away from there and…!" Jaken's words faded into a jumble of gurgles, Sesshomaru immediately forcing more weight into the imp, preventing his head from coming up for air.

With the imp silenced, Sesshomaru returned his attention to Rin, who remained in front of Len and Kikka just as solidly as before, her eyes pleading with him with all her heart and soul.

His golden eyes closed gently. "… Leave, Rin."

"Ah!" she gasped, dread filling her heart. "But…!"

Without another word, Sesshomaru reopened his eyes and gave her a demanding stare.

She knew she could not disobey him, nor win any kind of fight against him should she try, but… this was something she believed in! Didn't he see that?

Her mouth opened to protest… but nothing came out, and she was left defeated and crushed by the person she loved the most.

Rin's head drooped sadly and she forced herself not to look back at her new friends… she had failed them, she couldn't stand looking into their eyes now!

Her teeth and fists clenched as she began to run from them, running towards Ah-Un, the only creature that would comfort her.

"And take the girl with you."

Rin stopped instantly, staring up at her master with wide and confused eyes, matching those of Len and Kikka, all unable to believe what he just said. Even Jaken, who could still hear, squirmed beneath Sesshomaru's hold, but was only pushed down further.

"Excuse me!" Lenezma gasped incredulously. Who did he think he was? This was her sister! Did he think she wouldn't fight him for her?

But before she could verbally protest her own reluctance to give up Kikka, her body preparing to stand, the tip of a sword was suddenly thrust just inches from her face, the point aimed at her neck. She could see her own reflection in the blade…

Stunned by this act, but defiant all the same, she glared into his eyes… but it did not last. As she locked eyes with him, he did not appear very threatening (even with a weapon turned against her). He just seemed…

Without breaking eye contact, she nodded her head once. "Kikka… go with Rin,"

"But, Leny!"

"Just do it!" she ordered her, glancing at her sternly.

Overwhelmed by fear, Kikka stood shakily, looking back at her sister anxiously all the way over to Rin who led her to Ah-Un. Already the dragon was backing away from the clearing, understanding his master's message in leaving the area. The rest was not to be their concern.

As the girls reached the line of trees, Sesshomaru removed his foot from Jaken's body, the imp jumping out of the puddle almost instantly coughing hoarsely while fighting to breath at the same time.

"Leave us."

"Ah… What?" the imp exclaimed with disbelief. He was sure he'd get to stick around for the show! "But Lord Sesshomaru…!" he started, but his mouth shut instantly at the hideous glare the dog demon placed upon him, his golden eyes reflecting a flash of lightning ominously.

With a curt bow and a sneer at the woman, he scampered away from them, following after the others.

Lenezma was simply paralyzed by this white devil.

He'd killed the residents of the manner, stalked her and Kikka all over the forest, spared no effort in beating her up; he had a very dominant relation over his servants, yet respected the wishes of a little human girl (so far anyway), but then sent everyone away… leaving only the two of them in isolation, his blade still drawn on her fallen body.

Lightning flashed once again, giving him a wicked and menacing appearance.

After a few more seconds of eye-to-eye stares, Sesshomaru withdrew his blade. "Get up."

Apprehensively, Lenezma obeyed. Struggling a bit to get back to her feet, rising from the low mist she came to a full stand before him, still weary of his intentions.

With a heavy swallow, she went straight to the point with a suspicious tone of voice, hoping to mask the uncertainty in her heart: "What do you intend to do with us?"

Silence.

What thoughts ran through the demon's mind were anyone's guess, but he did not answer her, only continued to stare deeply into her glowing eyes, noticing the thin slit pupils.

"Who are you?" he asked, directly to the point. He couldn't answer her questions, but heaven forbid should you not answer his.

Intimidated by his severe gaze, she swallowed her defiance, feeling that things could turn out a lot worse if she didn't answer him:

"… Lenezma…"

She wanted to ask him again, but found she could not while still under the effects of his gaze, his golden eyes piercing through to her soul. Lenezma gasped, watching in shock and bewilderment as his hand rose to her cheek, feeling his fingers slip through her mangled hair delicately…

His gaze deepened. "You intrigue me…"

* * *

*drool* I love that line... How can a Sesshomaru fan not want to stand before him and hear him say that to you? And _touching _you? *spasm*  
Ahem, anyway... The next chapter will finally explain some things, so... anticipate!


	3. Chapter 3

**Three**

Kikka and Rin sat curled up tightly, leaning against the bulky dragon for warmth, waiting anxiously for something to happen; Sesshomaru had ordered all of them to leave he and Lenezma alone, the last image seen of his sword at Lenezma's neck. It was nerve-racking.

_What is Lord Sesshomaru going to do? Surely he wouldn't hurt her… not when Kikka is with us… he wouldn't do something like that… would he? _Rin questioned in her mind, her body snuggled against Kikka for extra warmth and comfort.

"Leny…" Kikka whispered faintly, her eyes beginning to waver. _Don't leave me… please don't leave me…_

However, while the girls moped in silence, Ah-Un trying to comfort Rin, the obnoxious imp held little back.

"What did _I_ do? Lord Sesshomaru keeps punishing me on behalf of these stupid humans! Just who is that woman anyway? Some foolish mortal girl who managed to escape the attack - big deal! Lord Sesshomaru should have killed them when he had the chance! How dare Rin stop him like that! That woman deserves a quick death, that's all there is to it! Why if I…"

"Enough."

Jaken jumped in surprise at his master's forceful voice, turning to find Sesshomaru's golden eyes glaring at him just as darkly as ever. But he was quickly distracted by something else… _What? HER?_

Rin and Kikka jumped to their feet as Sesshomaru walked among them, Lenezma following in revered silence, an apprehensive gaze locked on Sesshomaru's back the entire time.

"Leny!" both of them cried out as they ran to her, hugging her at the waist eagerly. Her hands caressed their shoulders in silence, all eyes quickly falling upon Sesshomaru, who glanced around at them briefly before turning and leaving.

"Ah! Wait, My Lord!" Jaken called frantically after the white demon, chasing after him, spurting question after question over these new people, but none were answered…

Ah-Un gurgled softly, still knelt down, eyeing the young girls.

Rin immediately ran over to him and climbed onto his back before turning back to Kikka, holding her hand out for her. "Come on!"

With a nervous glance up at Lenezma, she took Rin's hand and joined her on the dragon's back.

Lenezma watched and waited as the dragon began trudging forward, trailing after his master peacefully while the girls sat sleepily upon his back. Len followed after the dragon, staying near the girl's sides as best she could as they traveled on through the night.

Len had no idea where they were headed, but she hoped it wasn't much farther. They'd been walking for nearly twenty minutes now, and her exhaustion was building up on her heftily. Her feet stumbled more and more often as she trudged after the dragon, sure she was going to faint in the mud at any time, and this Sesshomaru fellow did not seem like the "no-one left behind" type.

"Yay! We're home!" Rin suddenly giggled, rousing Lenezma from her sleep-walk. As she looked up, however, she was suddenly jerked awake by the massive size of the wall that surrounded the supposed home beyond.

Too impatient to wait for Jaken to haul the doors open, Sesshomaru reached out and did it himself, heaving the large door open with little effort, holding it open for them to enter.

Jaken and Ah-Un walked inside easily, but Lenezma hesitated uncertainly. Sesshomaru eyed her the whole time, sending shivers down her spine as she forced herself into the doorway.

She stopped short, however, in order to gaze over the great expanse of yard and the mansion placed directly in the center, its size surely comparable to the manor. _The manor… it seems so long ago that I was there, even though it was only a few hours ago…_

Remembering Sesshomaru was waiting on her, she quickly forced herself on, walking towards the front door where Jaken and the girls were already milling around, no longer worried about the rain in their already drenched predicaments. Besides, the rain had lifted quite a bit since they left the cliff.

By the time she reached the doors, the three were already standing inside with just lit candles, enjoying the instant wave of heat that hit them. As Lenezma stepped inside, she was also hit with a surge of warmth, her body reacting to it joyously.

And suddenly Sesshomaru entered the mansion at her side, closing the door behind him before turning to her casually, locking eyes with her, even if only for a few seconds.

"Rin," he called, looking down at the two girls who shivered in their wet kimonos, "take care of the girl,"

Rin nodded with a grin. "Come on, Kikka! Let's get some dry clothes and we'll go take a bath!"

Kikka followed closely, excited by the prospect of a hot bath and dry clothes…

"Jaken, you're in charge of this one."

"I… _What_?" he exclaimed, clearly outraged by the idea of assisting this human, who, now that her face was illuminated by the surrounding candles, disturbed him greatly.

And for the umpteenth time that day, Sesshomaru's glare landed on the green imp, scowling with a vicious growl. "Do you mean to disobey?"

At these words, Jaken instantly resolved himself and dropped to his knees in grovel. "Forgive me, my lord… Uh, come along," he called to Len, fighting back his anger as he waddled off in the same direction as the girls, holding the candle tightly in his frustration.

Len glanced back once more at Sesshomaru, but the demon's stare did nothing to ease her. Wearily, she followed after the imp, her eyes wandering over the halls and doors they passed, curious as to how big this place really was.

Soon they came upon a grand staircase that led up to the second floor atop the hill, the stairs covered by an angled roof, while the right wall was nonexistent; the stairs followed the side of the house, easily accessible from the yard.

As they entered the long hallway, Kikka and Rin passed them on the way down, the main bathhouse apparently on the opposite side of the house.

Len exchanged curious glances with her sister, but neither spoke as they followed their hosts. There was something unusual going on here… but she couldn't figure it out.

Traveling down the hall, she discovered that the whole upstairs was devoted to bedrooms, six on the right and one at the very end.

In front of her, Jaken continued to grumble under his breath, apparently just as confused by his lord's actions as the rest of them, but he was much angrier with the decision to bring the humans here.

Ignoring his cursing, Len watched the passing doors… she could tell which room was Jaken's by the strange odor coming from within, his distinct smell hard to miss. And then she watched a large pair of doors as she passed them, easily identifiable as the master's chambers.

"Just who are you, anyway?" Jaken growled, barely sparing a quick glance at the strange girl.

She narrowed her eyes at the rude little imp. "Lenezma," she replied bluntly. She owed him nothing else.

"Lenezma? What kind of name is that?" he grumbled. "And what's wrong with your face?"

"Hmm?" she wondered. She rubbed her fingers along her nose and cheek, finding the same pink and beige goo that everyone else had found so odd. "Oh…" she realized, nearly forgetting about her scar. "I forgot about this stuff… all the water must have rinsed it away…" she mumbled to herself, but never answered him.

They walked past another room, Len able to sense Rin's scent coming from the room, as well as pick up a faint trace of Kikka's since they'd just come through here.

Finally they stopped at the door at the end of the hall. Jaken opened the door and waddled in, Len following silently into the pitch-black room.

Setting the candle on a small table, Jaken waddled towards the large chest behind the ornate changing screen where he began fumbling around, but Lenezma found more interest in the room itself.

The room was more than twice the size of her old, shared one, a large bed roll in the corner just waiting for someone to use it, and better furniture than could be found anywhere in the old manor, including a small table and a short vanity dresser with a mirror, all made of dark, rich wood. There was a small fire pit near the back corner while on the far wall there was an enormous window with a large sill to sit on. Thinking on their placement in the house, it must face the front yard.

Though it looked like a great room, it was lifeless. No type of floor rug anywhere, no hanging scrolls, no plants of any kind, nothing. Even without the thick layer of musk and dust in the air, it was obvious this room had been all but forgotten.

"Here!"

Len turned back at his voice, curious of the clothes in his hands.

"These are some clothes for you to change into after you bathe!" he growled, refusing to look into her eyes. "There are more in the closet and chest as well…" he mumbled as she took them from him curiously. Taking up the candle, he headed for the door.

"Uh, hey! How do I get to the bath?"

He turned on her viciously, "Figure it out, yourself!"

The door slammed shut with his exit, plunging the room into darkness, leaving Len stunned where she stood. She growled at the door, _Jerk!_

Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness as she glanced around. Tiptoeing towards the vanity, she knelt down and wiped the dust from the mirror to look upon her reflection, gasping at the sight.

Her fingers grazed her cheeks once again, smudging the goop that ran down her face like melted skin. Her hair was dark brown, and shiny silver locks spread from her scalp. Even her eyes had changed from brown to a deep cerulean, her pupils large as they glowed in the darkness, but she knew in a more lit room they would be thin slits.

And then her hand fell to her neck, her fingers caressing it gently… though it did not run, her fingers wiped a similar substance off all the same, traces of blue coming through where her fingers were.

Len sighed at her reflection… everything was coming undone. The river and rain had washed away at her disguise…

"Well… I may as well wash up just to get everything off…" she mumbled as she stood and headed towards the door. _It's going to be so weird without any of my makeup… I've been doing it for so long…_

Lenezma traveled down the hall and stairs, knowing only that the girls had come this way. When she reached the bottom hall, she had to rely on Kikka's scent, following it as best she could until she came upon a small, outdoor shack. There were lights inside.

She tapped her knuckles on the door gently as she approached.

"Leny?" Rin's voice called out.

"It's me," she replied easily.

"Come on in!"

When Lenezma stepped inside, she was stunned by the beauty of it. The floor and walls were covered in rich, white stone. There were two tubs, both made of a marble green stone, and large enough for Len to stretch out nearly all the way.

A stack of towels were in every corner, while fashionable wall scrolls hung here and there along the walls, two small windows along the top to vent out the steam.

Rin and Kikka both sat in the tub on the left, their hair nice and soapy, watching her with a smile.

"Isn't it great?" Kikka marveled in response to Len's awe.

"You can use that tub," Rin informed her easily. "The well is just outside, and the bath soaps are on the other side of the tub,"

Lenezma nodded easily, "Thank you, Rin…"

By the time Len's tub was filled and heated up, Rin and Kikka were out and drying, Kikka adorning one of Rin's nightgowns, a cute little pink kimono.

As Rin finished cleaning up the area, Kikka crept over to Len just as she slipped into the hot water, her body instantly in heaven.

"Um… Leny?"

"Hmm?"

"Um… Not that I mind, but… I still don't know why we're here. What's going on?"

Len's eyes immediately turned sympathetic, a helpless sparkle hiding behind her mask. "I'm afraid I'm not all that sure myself…"

"But… what did that demon do after we all left?" she asked, curious of the strange reaction her sister gave, hiding her face.

"He really didn't say much…" she replied weakly before meeting her sister's eyes again. "Listen, I'm just as clueless as you are, but…"

"Hey, Leny!" Rin called, holding a pile of wet clothes in her arms. "I'm going to hang your kimono up with ours, all right?"

"Thank you, Rin!" she called, watching the girl leave the bathhouse easily. She sighed softly, still unsure what to tell her sister. "Why don't you just go to bed for now? We've had a rough night…"

"Are you sure we're safe here?"

That was a valid question, Lenezma considered. "Just as safe as the manor, I suppose," she replied, but remember a second late that Kikka really did feel safe back at the manor. She was one of the very few. Still, it seemed to satisfy.

Slowly, Kikka nodded, "All right, Leny. Good night," she whispered as she hugged her around the neck gently before walking out the door. Rin also exchanged a quick goodnight with Len before the door shut, leaving Lenezma all alone in the bathhouse to soak and think about everything…

_What IS going on here? Why did he bring us back here…I 'intrigue' him…?_

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Lenezma gasped, awe struck as his finger nails brushed against her cheek, his fingers brushing through her hair elegantly. Her body shivered at his touch, frightened by his deep gaze into her eyes.

His fingers played at something in her hair, her ears twitching to his touch. And just as soon as he removed his hand, she knew what he was doing.

In his fingers was a strange molding, a squishy piece of plastic that matched her skin tone. It was a fake, human ear.

Len gasped as he held it up curiously. On its own, it looked pretty disgusting even though it was only a fake. As he held it up, her real ear was refreshed by the fresh air and rain that allowed it to breath.

With little else to hide, she removed the other fake; her hands swept her hair behind her real ears, her fingers coaxing the fuzzy gray fur that stood out from her head.

Sesshomaru stared at the furry animal ears as she massaged the tips before turning to look back at her other features.

He dropped the ear, Len catching it quickly before it hit the ground, holding it tentatively in her hands. She didn't know what to do… it was the first time anyone had seen her real ears in over four years and was not criticized for them… not yet, anyway, she was sure.

When she looked up again, the two merely continued to stare into each other's eyes. It was silent, almost as if he were trying to peer into her soul… She could tell he was in deep thought, possibly trying to decide something… but what?

Without a single word, he turned his back to her, only gazing at her with one eye before heading towards the trees.

Still confused, she followed him wearily, wondering what exactly he had in mind. _What is he doing? What does he intend to do with us?_

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Len's eyes reopened, staring at the ceiling hopelessly. She still didn't have an answer, and was beginning to wonder if she ever would. All she knew was that they'd been brought here and given a bath, new clothes, and even a bed to sleep in. _He doesn't seem like the kind that would just adopt strangers off the street… especially a half-demon like myself…_

Finished with her bath, Lenezma drained the bath water, watching the murky gray water slip down the intelligently crafted pipe; after washing her hair out thoroughly, the black dye tainted the water.

She dried herself, thankful just to be warm and dry after going through a river and storm like that. She'd been chilled to the bone before they arrived; if not for her demonic heritage, she was sure she'd come down with a cold or some other illness. Kikka was still susceptible though...

As she began dressing, she held up the gown that Jaken had given her, seeing it for the first time in its full glory. _It's beautiful…_ she marveled. This was supposed to be a simple nightgown and yet it was better than any kimono she'd ever owned.

Scarlet with a lavender design scattered across, the gown was soft and silky, fitting against her skin with unbelievable comfort and luxury.

Luxury… that was a good word to describe this place…

The clothes were amazing, the mansion, the rooms; the _bathhouse_ was incredible by all her standards. They had the good bath oils and soaps, not the crappy stuff she was used to. Hell, this stuff was better than what the lord and lady used!

How does such a place come to exist in the middle of nowhere?

Cleaning up just as Rin did, she extinguished the candles and stepped out of the bathhouse, slipping back into the house and realizing… she had no idea where the hell she was.

_I didn't come through here earlier… did I?_

For the next few minutes, Lenezma wandered hopelessly through the hallways, unsure how she could possibly be so lost!

_I don't care how big this place is! I should've run into something familiar by now!_ She reasoned, peering around another corner to find she still had no answer. Was she running in circles, or what?

Her head turned instantly, eyes scanning the empty hallway… _What was that?_

Her head flipped again, still finding nothing there… she was sure she'd heard something… _Great… either this place is haunted, or someone is messing with my head…_

She ignored the strange noises and kept going, still seeing shadows move, hearing strange things all around her as she continued to hunt for the exit - even the one that led back to the bath house would have been an improvement from her current predicament.

_Wait... is that it? _Len's hope flared as she stepped into another hall, seeing what was surely the outside and the first steps of the staircase that led to the bedrooms. She was just about to go for it when she heard a crackling noise behind her - there was room at the opposite end of the hall, the door opened just a crack, with a great golden light flowing from within, dancing along the walls.

She glanced towards the exit, taking a step forward... but curiosity overwhelmed her.

As quietly as she could, she crept towards the parted doors. With light and tender steps, she approached the doors with seized breath. Gathering her courage, she slowly, cautiously peered through the opening, her eyes recoiling from the blazing brightness of the large fire that burned.

Adjusting to the light, she looked again.

She gasped, but managed to do so silently, surprised to find the white demon standing there beside the large fire. His back was turned to her, his arms apparently crossed. He did not seem to be wearing his armor or bear either of his swords, but the large boa was still draped around his arm.

She remained there, unmoving and inaudible as she watched for several more seconds, unable to keep from staring at him…

Just who was he? How did he come into possession of such wealth, or acquire the company of a little girl? Why did he bring them here? He hunted them down only to be stopped by a human girl: he did not hurt them, like she had so heartily begged him, but went above and beyond to offer them the leisure of his home. _Why…?_

As quietly as she could, she backed away from the door, sighing softly in surrender, unable to understand this man and his ways.

She turned away and began walking again, heading for the stairs.

"Come in."

Len stopped instantly at his call.

Glancing back at the door, her heart pounded wearily. She shouldn't be surprised that he knew of her presence, but… it still frightened her. She was not used to the abilities of other demons, only the frailty of humans.

Lenezma pried the door open fully, debating whether or not to shut it behind her. She'd probably need it open if she felt she had to flee… if it would even help her any. At this point, her body was spent, barely able to keep walking around. Even at her prime, she doubted she could outrun him.

The room itself was pretty large, she noticed, with two small tables and several seating cushions thrown about the place, all surrounding the large fireplace in the center, the burning inferno nearly as tall as she, releasing a massive amount of heat.

One single golden eye watched her, an arrogant and impatiently look dwelling there. She knew that look; it was one the now deceased lord and lady of the manor would use to signal she was not close enough, that they would not waste their breath in demanding she move within proper distance of a handmaiden.

Rage swelled inside her that he would dare use that same look, but her lingering fear of him made her obey. _Fine, but only because you haven't killed us yet,_ she reasoned in her mind.

Though still apprehensive, Len shut the door and stepped forward, placing herself at the "proper" distance, just a few feet behind and slightly to the right like a good, submissive slave, half covered by his shadow. She stood there, silently, waiting for him to speak… but he remained just as mute as she.

"Uh… Sesshomaru, is it…?" she started, hoping to break the unbearable silence. She half expected reprimand for speaking out of turn, but her pride was swelling and had decided for her that she wouldn't care - she was _not _his slave! "Thank you for lending your home to us like this, but… I still don't understand why…"

"Who are you?" his voice demanded of her the instant the word 'why' slipped out. No physical reprimand - that was a good sign.

Len blinked curiously. "Uh, my name is Lenezma… I've told you this already…"

"And the girl?" he interrupted her again.

"Her name is Kikka, she's my younger sister. Why are you…?"

"If she is your sister, you're not telling me who you really are," he interrupted yet again, this time turning around to face her, the fire reflecting in his golden eyes.

When first laying eyes upon them, Sesshomaru originally figured Len to be Kikka's mother, seeing the resemblance between them and witnessing Lenezma's immense protection over her. But after discovering her demonic secret, he knew that was no longer an option as the girl was undoubtedly full human… or could she hide her scent as well? No, too many factors led him to be sure of the young girl's human descent.

Lenezma shifted uneasily on her feet, but knew she couldn't exactly lie to him – the physical signs were plain as day. Undoubtedly, he figured her out a long time ago.

"My father was a demon, my mother a human…"

"A half-breed," he interrupted, a tone of disgust entering his voice. It wasn't even a question, it was a flat statement. An insult. His gaze turned into a glare, his crossed arms slightly tightening.

"If that's what you want to call it," she replied in no better a tone, glaring right back. It was this kind of treatment why her mother had taught her to conceal her demonic side; it's much easier to hide the demon than the human.

There was a cold pause between them before Sesshomaru's eyes turned away again and he continued his interrogation.

"How is it that you fell servant to a human?" he asked casually, despite the inner disgust he felt. Before he had felt ashamed of her for her lack of pride, but after hearing she was only half demon, it no longer perturbed him, only making more sense.

"We were forced under his care… Kikka was safe, so we stayed," was her only response. It was easy to tell she hid more information, but he did not care to pry into the business of humans and half-breeds.

"Speaking of them, I wanted to thank you for that as well… You have my gratitude," she bowed quickly.

_Gratitude? _"For what?" he asked gruffly, glancing back with one eye.

"For killing those people," she replied simply, with just a hint of venom.

His eye narrowed. "You're part demon, why could you not do it?"

"Because I had not the wit to!" she replied, unable to hide her anger from such a response. It was true though; she had thought about killing at least half the people there so many times, but continued to remind herself of Kikka. "I couldn't bring myself to do it, not with Kikka constantly at my side. Besides, I…" she faded, suddenly wishing she hadn't started the next sentence. She looked away, scratching her arm nervously, but she could feel both of his eyes bearing down on her now…

Cerulean eyes met gold, determined but shaky; "… I don't know how to do anything like that…"

"Hmph. Typical."

"You don't understand!" Len shouted back, surprised at herself for snapping even a little, but she kept it up. "I've not been allowed to even run in the past four years of slavery! I doubt you would know what it is like to be restrained on behalf of another. What have you ever sacrificed for something you loved?"

Of course, he did not answer, merely continued to watch her. She tried to ignore him, but it was hard to avoid his powerful golden eyes as she watched him against the fire's glow.

_I knew he wouldn't understand… _

But Sesshomaru was hardly listening to what she said, thinking only on the oddity of this woman. Before he couldn't even sense her demonic scent, and even after all the rain she still smelled mostly human. Only after burning her arm did he catch a whiff of her true demonic blood, but still her exact origins eluded him.

He had seen her before all the water, looked straight into her _brown_ eyes with her _black_ hair and the hideous scar across her face. As he looked upon her now, however, all the running colors were washed away, leaving only the true form:

Her hair was soft brown with silver stripes expanding from her scalp; her ears were gray and pointy, with crisp blue cat-like eyes. There was no scar of any kind on her face, but instead a strange, bluish, seven-point star stood out clearly on her neck, a birthmark of some kind.

As soon as she entered the room he knew he was dealing with a feline half-breed.

Sesshomaru turned his gaze back to the orange of the fire after Lenezma looked away.

"So now you know my story. What's yours? What kind of demon are you?"

"Figure it out on your own."

"Hey!" she snapped, angered by his rudeness. "I'm just trying to have a sensible conversation with you and you treat me like dirt!"

"You're worse than the average half-breed. Use your senses!" he glared, his fists balled up at his sides.

"I told you, I can't!"

"Then learn!" he growled, teetering on the edge of assaulting her.

Lenezma did not argue further, holding her tongue after seeing his reactions. She knew very well that he could kill her easily, but she also knew he was right… she was useless without her innate abilities, the gifts that the feline clans passed down to her through blood.

A deadly silence fell upon them as Sesshomaru continued to glare harshly, Len avoiding his eyes as she fought to calm herself, searching for a different subject.

"So…" she started again, still stuck in his presence. "What about your family? Can I ask about them?"

Sesshomaru stood there a moment, unblinking before finally returning his gaze to the blazing inferno. "You need not concern yourself with that…"

Len frowned. "What about your followers?"

Lenezma received no response this time.

Narrowing her eyes at his back, she found herself standing tall and stepping forward, coming up to stand beside him, looking down into the flames.

She would not stand behind him any longer, she would not take the servant's place nor display the submissive attitude and obedience of the faithful slave. Though he was in a league all his own, and she was garbage in comparison by all means, she refused to act meek any longer. She was free of the manor, she was no longer someone's all purpose slave, and that would not change, not even for this stern, temperamental demon that could surely kill her with a flick of his wrist.

Sesshomaru watched her as she stood beside him, the challenging look in her eyes clear as day. He knew she did not challenge him - from what he'd experienced of her, he didn't believe she was _that _stupid - but she was making a statement to him just the same. She had guts, he could admit that, but she gave herself away when her hands moved up to her chest, resting, almost protectively, over her heart - she was not completely without fear.

"Oh…" she suddenly remembered, glancing down at her body before meeting his eyes, her expression having calmed again. "I forgot to thank you for the new clothes…" she spoke gently, glancing back down at her night gown as she lightly pinched at some of the material. "It's very beautiful…"

It was the second time he took notice to the gown, the first being after she had just entered. He didn't recognize it, but knew that it must be one of his mother's old scraps, those were the only clothes for a grown woman left in the manor.

Locking eyes with him once again, Lenezma found herself captivated by them, and Sesshomaru in general. There was just something about him that contradicted her feelings: in one sense his tranquil aura made her feel calm, but the truth about him and his power left her understandably nervous of him a majority of the time.

Maybe it was those eyes of his? She had never seen a pair like them and they glowed beautifully in the firelight, but she'd seen their power to freeze the blood. Lenezma shook her head free of these thoughts, turning her gaze towards a window on the far wall.

She decided to try again. "Sesshomaru… Why…?"

"You may leave now," he cut her off like always, gazing down at her with a cold boredom.

"But…" she started, hoping to get her words out there, but his piercing gaze told her almost instantly that he wouldn't answer even if she should ask the whole sentence.

They both stared into each other's eyes, almost as if trying to see into the other's soul, but all either saw was a reflection of the dancing fire. She wanted to say he couldn't really be this bad, that he really couldn't be such an… an… _ass_! But with every attempt she made to see some good in him, her insides would cringe.

"… Yes, Sesshomaru," she finally gave in, gracing him with a curt bow, but her eyes were less than obedient when she stood again. "But don't think this is over,"

As she headed for the doors, she turned back again, adding on to her idle threat: "Oh, and don't expect me to call you _lord_… Those days are over."

He watched her leave with just one eye, unaffected by her words. He sighed, finally glad to be rid of her foul half-human stench and turned back to stare down at the fire, calmed by its radiating light… when something caught his eye.

He looked away to find a small red object lying on the floor, just to the right of him near where Lenezma had stood. He eyed it curiously before picking it up, investigating it. How did it get here…?

Upon entering her room, Lenezma shut the door easily, suddenly feeling incredibly tired, as if everything caught up with her all at once.

She walked over and nudged the window open slightly, letting in a small cool breeze, airing out the musty room. She grabbed the bed and rolled it out in the only open space available, finding the bedding in the large chest Jaken had dug through earlier.

She was barely able to finish making the bed before collapsing onto it with a heavy thud, her body accepting the incredible softness with ease, her face snuggling into the sheets with a large grin. She was out almost the instant her eyes closed.

And for the first time in weeks, she did not dream… No fields of white grass… no burning ashes… no songs… just the abyss of sleep…

* * *

All right, the next chapter is really short, just taking the time to set the scene up a little more, but don't worry, it'll get good soon!

When new characters are introduced, I'll post the name meanings at the end of the chapter (just remember that I'm using an English-Japanese dictionary, so if the terms are wrong, I apologize!).  
So here is the first installation of translation:

Kikka = chrysanthemum  
Shiko = death child (Thank you Bara Kuchiki, I thought I just made it up! Even though the name doesn't fit her, haha)  
Dolce = I meant to change his name to something Japanese, but forgot to by the time I posted, so, oh well...  
Lenezma = I came up with this name and loved it too much to change

Wow, what a crappy first installation, half the names were made up. But the others will be okay (I think...)


	4. Chapter 4

**Four**

When Jaken first found Lenezma cooking in the kitchen, he nearly had a heart attack.

"Who are you?" he cried loudly, only seeing her backside.

She turned and looked down upon him confused, unable to understand his outburst. "It's me - Lenezma!"

Jaken stared for a moment before his eyes grew, recognizing some of her facial features from the night before, but… everything had changed! Her face was no longer melting off, her hair was light and thick, and two fluffy cat ears popped out of the side of her head.

"What happened to you?" he asked incredulously, unsure what to make of her new appearance.

"This is what I normally look like…" she informed him, realizing she may as well tell him now and get it out of the way. "… I'm a half-demon."

"Hmph!" was Jaken's only response, raising his chin snobbishly before walking straight out of the kitchen. Who said this half-demon could make their breakfast? Well, he certainly wasn't going to eat it, that was for sure!

Len watched him, almost hurt, but transformed those feelings into anger instead. _No good imp!_

When the girls entered, it took even Kikka a moment to recognize her older sister. Lenezma had to take the time to sit down with her and Rin to explain her appearance change, Kikka not remembering her true look - after all, she was only about four when she last saw Len's real guise. Rin, to her surprise, was not at all put off by her appearance change. Kikka had apparently gone ahead and revealed Lenezma's demonic secret to Rin last night when the young girl was asking a lot of questions that had difficult answers, but still this was the first time she was able to see her true appearance.

Lenezma finished with breakfast and passed out the food; Kikka was already wise to Len's cooking, but Rin was excited. "Wow! This is so much better than Jaken's cooking!"

Len smiled broadly at these words.

After cleaning everything, Lenezma found herself with absolutely nothing to do. Jaken had gone off… somewhere… and the girls were outside playing.

When she woke up that morning, she was surprised to have woken up so early after how tired she'd been. Feeling refreshed, she took herself on another tour of the twisting, turning halls of Sesshomaru's castle. As it turned out, the place was actually fairly straight forward and easy to traverse, Len blaming the darkness and her exhaustion last night for her confusion.

Amidst her travels, she managed to learn a few of the rooms while even finding the kitchen, deciding then and there to cook breakfast.

But now that breakfast was over, Lenezma returned to her room in order to change, not wanting to wear such a beautiful kimono all day, especially when she planned to go outside.

After scavenging through the chest for something to wear, Lenezma found herself reluctant to wear any of them. All of them were rich in color and fine materials, clothes she would never dream of wearing outside. In the end, she simply picked one out and changed, amazed at its beauty just as she was with the nightgown.

It was a pale, olive green with tiny clusters of white petals, a kimono that was almost fancier than some of the lady's.

_How I've gone from dirt cheap to overly rich and expensive!_

Returning to the rest of the mansion, still a little embarrassed in such an extravagant kimono with its multiple layers, she decided to wander around the halls again, trying to remember where certain hallways led, how to get to the bedrooms and the main doors and such. Her time in this place was uncertain, but it was all she could do to keep herself busy.

And, she decided, while traveling the hallways, she might be able to practice her sniffing skills. She had practiced at her old home, managing to learn everyone's different scents over the course of a few weeks, but with only three, very distinct scents to go through in this place, she quickly learned who was who.

She could smell Sesshomaru's scent positively _everywhere_! Sure, it was to be expected, being his own home and all, but there were some areas where Rin or Jaken could not be detected… but there wasn't a single room on the first floor where the demon lord's scent did not flow clearly.

Lenezma was actually growing proud of herself for her accomplishments. She still had not a clue what kind of demon Sesshomaru was, but she at least knew his smell now.

Now, with officially nothing better to do, Lenezma stepped outside, inhaling the fresh air that enveloped her.

After living in manors and large towns all her life, being surrounded by so many beautiful trees gave her such an appeasing feeling, filling her with joyous life.

Her bare feet slipped through the soft green grass easily, relishing in the cool, smooth feeling as it gently tickled her feet.

When Rin and Kikka took notice of her, Kikka had to take a second to remember this was Len's true appearance again before smiling and running towards her.

"Leny!" she cried as she flung herself at Lenezma, hugging her waist.

When Rin approached, she eyed her curiously, but there was still a playful expression on her sweet face: "It's hard to believe you were able to disguise yourself so well for all those years."

"Yes, but it worked well. I think it might have even fooled Sesshomaru!"

"Wow!" both girls marveled shortly. "Hey! Do you two want to meet Ah and Un?"

"Who?"

Rin led them around the side of the house, running up the side of the hill easily, Kikka right behind her as they raced to the top giddily.

Merely walking the hill, Lenezma could hear Kikka marveling at something long before she could see it. When she reached the top, she stopped to find the girls standing around the same, two headed dragon that had been present during last night's fiasco, but neither of them had really paid it much attention amidst all the confusion and exhaustion.

It's long, scaly body stood incredibly tall, its snake like tail wagging as both heads looked down at the smiling girls. Ah-Un were free of both the saddle and bridals they usually wore, free to graze the grounds leisurely.

Lenezma approached it cautiously, not very trusting of it. It certainly seemed to like Rin and appeared to take to Kikka quickly as well, its tail waving like an excited puppy.

When Lenezma approached it more, however, it quickly cast a glare at her, a slight growl rumbling in their long throats.

"No! Bad Ah-Un!" Rin yelled at them, shaking her finger at them. Both heads lowered, ears creasing back, as if her finger had been punishment enough. "This is Leny! She came home with us last night, remember? She is our friend, so be good!" she spoke firmly to them again. She turned back to Len with a smile, "Do not worry about them, they just don't recognize you or your scent!"

"You mean because I'm a demon?" Len asked, speaking to let Rin know she didn't mind.

"Probably," Rin answered truthfully, but cheerfully. Just by her smile, Lenezma had a good feeling about little Rin.

She didn't seem to care about anything, always cheerful about something. She was surrounded by two pure demons that both shared a disgust for the human race yet took no offense to any of it, and she didn't even find Lenezma's mixed heritage unusual.

Len walked closer to the dragons who kept their eyes on her despite Rin's commands. She reached her hands out to them peacefully, allowing them to get a clearer sniff of them, to see she meant no harm.

"My name is Lenezma…" she spoke gently to them, gazing at them with ever soft eyes, a delicate smile on her lips.

Both heads sniffed carefully before backing away calmly, one of them expressing a joyous attitude.

Rin giggled at them before backing up a few steps. "Good boy! Come on, Kikka! Let's go play!"

"Okay! Do you want to come, Leny?" she asked, turning to her sister kindly.

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass. You two go have fun!"

"All right!" Kikka giggled and raced after Rin.

Len watched them blissfully as they played their games, both filled with joy and laughter. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Kikka so happy, allowed to act like the child she really was…

Len turned to Ah-Un, who made a soft gurgling kind of noise towards her. She smiled gently, "Don't worry, I'll stick around with you for a little while longer… If that's all right with you, of course,"

Both heads seemed to make a quick nod of sorts before lowering to feast once again.

Lenezma crossed over towards a large tree and sat at the trunk, the great expanse of branch and leaves providing sufficient shade from the bright sun. She hated sitting on the ground with such a pretty kimono, but the ground here was dry, and the bright sun in the sky had dried most of the wet earth after the heavy rains.

She lazed about there for nearly ten minutes, idly watching the dragon graze as the girls had disappeared on the other side of the manor. She could see a portion of the clothes line as well, where she found their wet clothes drying in the sun and wind. Len almost couldn't wait to get back into her old kimono – she'd feel a lot more secure, even if it had been torn up in yesterday's chase. These fancy kimonos were just too rich for her…

Idly, she sighed with boredom. _I can't find anything to do… The house is boring, the girls are playing on their own, and there's nothing I'd want to do concerning Sesshomaru or Jaken. Ah-Un here is my only company and he's not exactly making things much easier on me. _

Len sighed again as her eyes wandered off towards the great trees beyond the tall gates. She stared and stared for a long while before finally standing up.

Ah-Un turned to her curiously as she approached the gates, staring straight up.

Len turned to them with a sly smile, "I'm going out for a while. I won't be gone long, I promise!" she gave a silly wave to the two headed dragon before turning back to the gates and jumping as gracefully as she could with such a grand kimono. She leapt over the wall, surprisingly easy - but mostly she was surprised to have even made the jump - before getting drawn in to nature's canvas.

Outside, she glanced all around, adjusting her eyes to the sudden darkness that overwhelmed her, the thick trees blocking out most light, but the beauty of the forest was undeniable.

She strolled through the quiet forest calmly, her eyes wandering all about as she took in the lovely scenery, admiring the lushness of such a vast woodland area. She missed this kind of surrounding from when she was still very young, before Kikka was born.

When she still wasn't even five years old, she lived in a small but wonderful cottage surrounded by trees and mountains, with vast meadows and fields of flowers.

Back when she lived with both her mother and father…

Lenezma shook her head free of her memories, wishing not to think of such things. All she wanted now was to enjoy the scenery without a care in the world.

She tiptoed through the thick grass as she carefully stepped out into a clearing, a small creek running through with several wild flowers.

To her surprise, she stopped to smell around and listen before entering, strolling in when she found nothing threatening nearby. She normally did not act like that, like… an animal…

Taking great care of her clothes, she sat gently at the water's edge where she cupped up a handful of the icy cool water, sipping it delightfully.

Len fell back in the grass, arms spread as she bathed in the sunlight, relishing in the great warmth it filled her body with. This was another joy she hadn't experienced since childhood. If anyone of the manor ever caught her enjoying herself in such ways they'd immediately put her to work.

She was glad they were all dead.

For the first year or two it wasn't all that bad; the lord and lady treated her like the rest, the other servants treating her like family. But when Lenezma's body began to mature, the lord had grown a fancy towards her…

_No!_ Lenezma shook her head roughly, sitting up quickly to try and block out her horrible memories. She'd rather reminisce in the memories of the night she and Kikka left home than what those horrible people did to her.

Len quickly turned to glance behind her, alert for any movement. For a split second she felt threatened, watched at the least, but found nothing. Unmoving, she kept her senses up, searching for anything around her.

"What are you doing out here?"

Lenezma nearly jumped out of her skin at his voice, turning swiftly to find Sesshomaru standing before her, glaring down as she gasped at his sudden appearance.

"Sesshomaru!"

"Why are you out here?" he asked again.

"I… I was bored…"

It was quite easy for Sesshomaru to track her here, she was quite identifiable now that he knew her true scent.

Sesshomaru stared for a few seconds, looking over her in the new kimono, giving her a richer look than she deserved. He didn't recognize this one either.

"I would advise you not to leave the mansion again. Many devils around here would find you the perfect lunch."

Len turned her head away with a low "Hmph."

"The devils in this region are ruthless," he added, but Len made no sign of hearing him.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes softly before turning away from her and taking a few steps. Lenezma looked up to watch him leave, but then he stopped again and cast a single eye down upon her impatiently - that same look as last night.

"Let's go."

She lifted her chin defiantly, but feigned innocence: "Go where?"

"Back to the mansion," he replied as callously as ever. He would not play her game.

"But...!" Lenezma started to say, wanting to stay here and enjoy the happiness the forest provided her; it was the first time she'd felt so alive in over five years! But when Sesshomaru showed no signs of letting her stay, her own mind pushing away the innate fear she felt towards the residing devils, she swallowed her words.

Reluctantly, she rose to her feet and began following him as he led her back at a calm walk.

The whole way was silent, only the sounds of nature existing around them.

It didn't take long before reaching the gates of the mansion, Lenezma did not travel very far out.

They walked through the gates placidly, Sesshomaru continuing to lead her after shutting the gates. Just before Sesshomaru began to climb the steps, Lenezma stopped and turned to look out at the tops of the surrounding trees, already feeling an urge to go back out there again…

"Lenezma."

She turned back to find Sesshomaru waiting for her, apparently not trusting her out here alone. He could sense her desire to be out there, but _he_ had no desire to baby-sit.

With one last glance Lenezma followed him into the house where he headed straight for his bedroom, no longer waiting on Lenezma.

_So this is how it is, huh? It doesn't matter if I'm part demon; I have to stay within the safe walls of the yard._

Lenezma watched as he disappeared from sight, standing in silence for a few seconds before idly pacing the downstairs halls, hoping to remember how to get to the kitchen without the use of her nose.

_But why are we still here? What does Sesshomaru have planned for Kikka and I?_


	5. Chapter 5

**Five**

Len was now in the last room, scavenging through the closet for clothes that were still in fine shape. She realized halfway through the search that this was actually Youkou's old room; Youkou was the second person in the entire manor that gave Len good clothes and was nice to her when she had no one but Kikka. But then the master sold her for a high price just after moving, leaving Len all alone. It was amazing that she had left so many good kimonos behind…

It was quite early in the morning, the sun just starting to come over the trees and mountains in the distance. Len had returned to the old mansion with the intentions of finding any goods that would be of use to her or either of the girls.

Word about the slaughter in the forest got out fast, and the last of the servants and guards that were left in the manor were long gone, apparently having already looted some of the more expensive items in the manor that could be sold. But those things didn't interest Lenezma, she just wanted some clothes - no one was left to use the mansion or its goods anymore, she might as well be the one to take them.

She took one last scan over the manor; satisfied, she left through the back door, turned and shut it securely. As soon as she turned back around, she gasped in surprise, taking a step back, trapping her against the door as a tall figure was RIGHT THERE as she turned. She knew she hadn't been paying close attention with her senses, but still didn't expect anything like that!

"Sesshomaru!" she gasped. He stood staring down at her, his armor and swords back again. "What are you doing here?"

"That is my question," he gazed demandingly.

"If you must know, I was collecting some things for me and the girls," she replied boldly, motioning to the tied bag in her hand.

Sesshomaru stared in the usual silence that surrounded him. Len eyed him suspiciously as he continued to gaze down at her. "I was coming right back!" she added, more on the defensive this time, but still received only a blank face. Len sighed and walked past him, heading for a back route to the forest so none of the villagers would see them.

She could hear Sesshomaru following her. "I wasn't about to leave. I wouldn't leave Kikka here, not all by herself."

"You mean not with me," he said, now walking right beside her as they came upon the forest.

"Why would I say that?" she asked annoyingly. "I could easily leave her in your care. Jaken would take care of her like he does Rin, and even if you didn't want her around, you know Rin would hate you if she found out you caused the death of her only human friend. And though you act like one cold bastard, it's obvious you still like having her in your company."

Lenezma showed no sign of it, but quickly realized she'd said quite a bit all at once, including calling him a cold bastard, and readied herself for an assault.

"You've thought this through, I see," he said, not taking any offense to her insulting him. In fact, he didn't pay attention to pretty much her entire little speech, the only thing he really caught was the fact that she could 'easily leave Kikka' with him and some other rabble that was somehow connected.

If only she didn't talk so much… It would also spare him from having to speak so often, her insistent questions unable to be answered by his normal silence without causing her to rabble on even more.

"Mmm, slightly..." she said, calming down a little.

The truth was it was more than just "slightly" thought about. It was while she was traveling towards the mansion and scavenging through it when she went into deep thought.

The most feasible conclusion she could come up with was that he'd brought them home so Rin would have a friend. She must've grown lonely having only Jaken play with her. When he'd seen Kikka, he figured she could be Rin's friend.

But then there was Len. He knew she wouldn't just hand Kikka over out of good charity; he also knew Kikka wouldn't go anywhere without Len. If he had killed Len, Kikka wouldn't stay with him willingly.

Lenezma was essential to his intentions; if he forced Kikka to stay, she'd keep trying to escape and become quite a nuisance to take care of, most likely getting herself killed. The only real option he had was to let Len live and have her bring Kikka to Rin instead. As for what use he had for Lenezma was yet to be decided.

Again, assuming this was all correct.

"However," Sesshomaru spoke up, "she won't stay without her sister, whom I'm finding to be a greater annoyance. I can't keep order in my lands when you disobey my commands."

Lenezma held back her urge to snap at him, merely lifting her chin with a small glare focused on the demanding demon in the corner of her eyes. "I'm not your slave."

"No, but as long as you live on my lands you _will_ do as I say," Sesshomaru growled (not literally). This woman was growing more unbearable the longer he spent with her.

Lenezma hesitated a moment before responding, searching for an argument. "Hey, I got here all right, didn't I?"

"Oh yes, when I tracked you here I took special notice to a pack of demons that chased you for a short distance."

Dead silence followed. Lenezma wanted to just smack him, his superior tone of voice only showing off how he'd won. Those demons were slow anyway!

They continued to walk in sustained silence, Len still wondering why he took his time to walk along side her, knowing he could easily hurry through. She could too, she supposed, but was in no hurry to get anywhere - especially after that. But where she wondered, she also half wished he _would_ go away.

After both had calmed down, Len turned to him shyly, "When are you going to let me roam freely?"

"When you can defend yourself," he replied dryly, not hesitating to answer.

Len began to scowl at him before closing her eyes proudly once again. "I'm 32, I can handle myself!"

"You're still a teenager to me."

Len gasped softly as she looked up at him once again, both of his golden eyes staring right back as they walked, neither afraid of running into anything.

She almost smiled at him, impressed with his knowledge of feline aging. Many animal demons aged differently, whether it be mentally or physically. 90% of the feline population aged mentally and at different rates. In Lenezma's case, her mind was nearly twice as old as her body, while her body was technically still aging.

But instead of smiling, she caught the insult of his words much stronger.

"How dare you!" Lenezma snapped furiously, stopping, her grip on the bag of goods growing deadly tight. It was a miracle she didn't attempt to assault him in some way.

"You can't even tell what type of demon I am, can you?" Sesshomaru continued, stopping when she did, never taking his eyes off of hers. "Do you know how to do anything?"

"What?" she cried out, infuriated he'd actually ask such a thing! "I may not be as advanced as you, but I know enough to survive!"

"Knowing how to run and use your claws won't get you far,"

"I'll be fine. I've gotten along just fine with them so far, haven't I?"

"You've been sheltered all your life, as well,"

"Just back off! I don't want your help or anyone else's!" she shouted as she turned abruptly, running through the trees to rid herself of him.

Sesshomaru remained motionless as he watched her run off through the trees. _Foolish woman..._

She knew she couldn't escape him. She had no real plan to do that anyway, she just had to get away from him for a bit. Len slowed back to a walk and strolled along on alert.

She figured Sesshomaru was following her from a distance; why wouldn't he just go away?

_He still thinks I need help! He thinks I need to be followed because I can't take care of myself... He's just like the Mistress, always telling me things about myself that aren't true. Well she's dead now and I'm alive because I was better than her all along. Rest in hell you stupid…_

"Ahh!" she cried as she gripped her arm, the bag falling to the ground, a black demon having jumped from the trees, screaming as it struck her left arm with his claws as he rushed past.

She turned quickly to see the creature hit the ground then make a fast U-turn and jump at her again.

She stepped back just as he passed, his claw barely nicking part of the kimono at her chest. She watched it land and stare at her, hunger in his blood red eyes.

Len's fists and teeth clenched, her anger only growing more. It took another dive and Len slashed at it with her right claws, slashing his entire underside.

She watched it roll as it hit the ground, but got right back up as if she never touched it. She could make out a row of razor sharp fangs in the blackness of its face, small maniacal, blood red eyes just above it. It sat there growling at her, unmoving.

"Huh?" she looked down at her hand, the one she used to attack with, now covered in a thick black liquid that began to smoke. She bit her lip. She could feel the liquid eating away at her skin. She shook her hand roughly, but very little of it came off.

She looked back up just in time to see the beast lunge at her once again. She used the same claws to strike him, this time her hands hitting him right in-between the eyes, but to her surprise, her hand went straight through the beast and out the rear. Her arm was now covered in the black liquid all the way up to her elbow, instantly eating away at the kimono sleeves and climbing slowly up to her shoulders.

She shook her arm out again, able to rid herself of about half the stuff, but unable to stop her sleeves from getting eaten away at.

_I don't get it... It can clearly attack me but I can't seem to touch it!_

It sat in the same position as before, eyeing her down, teeth bared, growls escaping its throat as it was obviously hungry. And she just happened to be his victim for the morning.

She crouched a bit, getting ready to dodge his next attack, but suddenly winced; she could feel a strong throbbing in her left arm where the beast had first assaulted her.

Like the other sleeve, the material was slowly withering away; she was bleeding little since her body was already at work trying to seal the wound, but her body was having a difficult time trying to repair the damage.

The demon threw its head back and cried a long and spine tingling howl.

It was answered by another - and another. It wasn't long before Lenezma found herself surrounded by about 4 of the shadow creatures.

The first then took a step towards them and barked viciously. The other three growled at him before leaping at him, fusing together with it, forming a larger, almost taller than Len, creature.

The red eyes shined brighter and the fangs were twice as long, making it twice as deadly as before, if not more.

Unsure of what to do, she threw her left arm up defensively as the beast charged, mouth gaping. The beast clamped tightly onto her arm, gnawing away at it.

Len winced in pain as it bit through her flesh, still unsure of what she could do. The black liquid oozed onto her arm, eating away at her skin quicker than on the other arm. It even started slashing out with its front paws, scratching both legs at least once, spreading the ooze, her entire kimono slowly getting eaten away at. Who knew how long it would be before her entire kimono was gone? That'd be embarrassing…

Just as she felt she could scream in pain, flames began exploding from her arm where the beast chomped away.

The beast screamed in pain and jumped back, Lenezma taking great notice to its reaction: _The fire seems to affect it!_ Just then the beast, its mouth still ablaze, burst, exploding into four puddles of black ooze.

She could feel her body working over time trying to seal the wound and stop the flame, but she was distracted when she saw the puddles be reborn, transforming into their former individual selves. But then they joined again, forming two beasts instead of one, and surrounded her yet again.

_Oh crap! I can't beat a single one let alone ones that combine! And there are two of them! The fire seemed to hurt them, but…_

Just then, one of them turned back into a puddle and leapt for Len, swirling around her body in the shape of a ring, shrinking smaller and smaller, preparing to constrict her.

With all her strength, she jumped straight up into the air just as it closed, barely missing her toes. She leaped up high, higher than she ever had, nearing the tree tops, much to her surprise, and was momentarily filled with joy… until she looked back down at her foes who remained below, glaring with snapping fangs.

Then something white caught her attention. She looked over, a few trees away from where she'd been, and saw Sesshomaru standing there. He stood stock still, arms crossed, usual look on his face as he watched.

Len glared at him.

But again she was distracted by the black demons as they too leapt into the air after her, but managed to miss her. But now she was falling back to the earth and she'd be unable to avoid the snapping fangs for much longer.

Using what force she could, she fell through the trees and landed near Sesshomaru, who continued to watch her calmly.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

"I'm watching your fight; might I add, you're doing an excellent job at defeating the shadows,"

Len held back her urge to yell at him as much as possible, her mouth instead spitting out words she didn't even realize she'd said until it was too late: "How about a little help here?"

"You said you could take care of yourself and you didn't need any help… So I'm not going to," he finished with a narrow gaze.

"What? Look at me! I'm getting eaten alive and all you can do is watch?"

"I've seen worse," he said coldly. A shiver ran down her spine in an instant; she believed him, too.

Just then the monsters jumped through the trees, straight at them, but both managed to dodge their assaults without a scratch.

What they didn't notice, though, was that one of them had split again, and the last one was right behind them, silently waiting for the perfect chance to strike.

And it came.

The monster leapt out and tackled Len to the ground, face first, the ooze eating more of her kimono away.

"Sesshomaru!" she pleaded just as she hit the dirt. She could sense the beast ready to dig his fangs into her back, the hot breath on her neck. Her eyes and fists clasped tightly shut, her heart pounding with undeniable fear; she was rendered powerless and unable to escape, left only to anticipate the agonizing pain of feeling its teeth sink into her flesh, ripping it apart with his powerful jaws. But before she knew it, the weight from the beast disappeared.

She looked up and saw Sesshomaru with a strange yellow whip coming from his finger tips, the whip wrapped around the chest of the shadow demon that was on her back.

She watched as he flung the creature at his buddies, knocking them all back. Just as they all got back to their feet, for a split second she sensed the fear in their eyes as he charged them, his right hand surrounded by a yellow-green aura as he slashed all three of them in one large swipe.

She watched in awe as the yellow aura covered them and they whimpered and screamed in pain just before imploding into nothingness. No guts, no blood, not even the black ooze flew from their erupting bodies, leaving, of course, no trace of their existence.

Just like that, it was all over.

Very slowly, still in slight shock, Len pushed herself up, sitting shakily on her knees, keeping what was left of her clothes covering up anything absolutely unnecessary for Sesshomaru to see.

Her expression was bitter. It figured. The one chance she got to prove herself to him and she failed miserably, leaving her no choice but to ask for his help.

She could hear him walk off and return again, but she dare not look at him, not until he dangled something before her.

She looked up to see Sesshomaru holding a blanket she'd taken from the mansion. He'd gotten into the bag and taken it out for her – Len could only stare at it with wide eyes. Impatiently, he threw it over her body, barely missing her head.

He knew her clothes were being burnt away and knew there'd soon be nothing left but her modesty.

She grabbed the edges and kept the blanket close.

After a few seconds of reserved silence, Sesshomaru watched as her right arm came out from under the blanket and she stared at it, gritting her teeth as she winced in pain. The ooze was eating away at her skin, her body fighting it off to heal. She returned the arm before revealing the other, multiple scratches up and down the limb, the wounds starting to swell.

"Come. Cold water is the only thing that will clean up the black blood." He turned to start walking to the nearest river.

Having no other choice but to listen to him, she brought her arm back into hiding. Keeping a grip on the blanket to keep her body closed off, she put her right hand down to push herself up, but the scratches on her legs began throbbing horribly, preventing her from standing up on her own.

Sesshomaru turned at her painful gasp, which she had tried to muffle but failed miserably. It was plain to see she was having some difficulty, but only watched in silence as she tried and tried, only hurting her legs more.

"Do I have to carry you?" he asked. It sounded weird, though, both mocking and serious, and the hard stare he gave her made her feel even stupider than before. Len looked up at him, studying, deciding…

She clutched the blanket tighter.

Sesshomaru walked through some trees, nearing the river, carrying the frail woman like a child in his arms.

Having no other choice but to comply, she accepted his offer for a piggy-back ride, but she found she could not hold on well enough, the poison spreading through her quickly. With every ounce of her will power, she conceded to being carried after being reassured the river was very close.

She kept the blanket tightly wrapped around her body as he lifted her easily, as if she weighed nothing at all. Her eyes avoided Sesshomaru completely – especially his eyes – simply glaring at the trees and ground beneath them.

They were silent the whole way, completely ignoring their current predicament. If anything, Lenezma was feeling more ashamed than ever.

He set her down on some rocks that sat at the edge of the river.

"The water will wash the ooze off and clean your wounds of the poison."

"What about the blood in the water?"

"The water completely dilutes it. It'll be safe to drink," he replied calmly, figuring her to be the environmentalist type.

"All right..." she looked into the water and saw her reflection. She dipped her toes in. _Wow! That is VERY cold!_

Sesshomaru watched with unwavering eyes as she sat there. His eyes stared at her deep, black wounds, causing him to remember how she had struggled against the shadow demons. _She's still so innocent to this world… Like a child, she is unaware of the real dangers that lurk…_

Len eyed Sesshomaru carefully as he still stood there, returning the gaze. "Do you mind?"

Sesshomaru eyed her carefully as well then turned and faced the opposite direction, stepping away. He could have gone into the forest, but Len wouldn't know for sure whether he was looking or not. He didn't seem like the kind that would, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

As he stood there, she daintily slipped out of the blanket and into the water where her skin was instantly covered in goose bumps. She shivered and her teeth chattered at the frigidness of the water.

"Brr! Why is it so cold?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer, but knew it was because of the mountain from which the water came from, made up mostly of melted snow.

She looked down at her hands through the crystal clear water and watched as all the blood was being washed away. She looked to her upper left arm and could feel the water filling her wounds, cleaning them, freeing her of the poison.

She stayed in the water for a few more minutes, making sure her wounds were completely cleaned out. She reached into her bag and found a towel to dry off with along with a decent kimono to slip into until back at the mansion.

Len dried and warmed herself as good as possible before slipping into the slightly too large kimono, tightening it as much as possible. She even wrapped the blanket around her shoulders for extra warmth before allowing Sesshomaru to see her again.

She made sure to cover herself as humanly possible before approaching him since the cold water had, shall we say, made her 'perky'.

Sesshomaru stared as she walked by slowly. She held the blanket closed at her chest as she walked, trying her best to hide the small limp as a result of the pain she still felt.

Sesshomaru took a few steps towards her as she reached down and grabbed her bag of goods, wincing at the pain that shot through her arm from the weight. But she did not let go.

She concentrated and lifted the bag enough to sling over her shoulder, flinching yet again… but she didn't cry or whine.

Sesshomaru, walking a few paces behind her as she started for the trees, was about to assure himself she could handle it when she quietly gasped in pain, forced to let the bag slide off her shoulder and plop to the ground heavily.

He stared at her as she stood there still, taking large breaths as she tried to regain the strength to lift the bag again, but failed.

"Are you sure you can carry that?"

"I'll be fine," she replied firmly, ceasing her heavy breaths. She began walking again, but decided to just drag it home this time.

Sesshomaru walked up beside her, debating whether he should just take the bag from her to speed things up or let her suffer. It turned out whatever he had planned didn't matter, for as soon as he approached, she stopped immediately and jerked the bag away from him, staring up at him with an exhausted glare.

"No! I may have swallowed my pride when you carried me, but I refuse to be helped further!"

Sesshomaru merely stared down at her with his piercing golden eyes, Lenezma's cerulean eyes gazing right back, unwavering.

Both turned away from each other and began walking again at precisely the same time, a deadly silence between them as they walked along side one another as if neither existed.

This continued for a good mile at their slow walking pace, no sign of any other life around them the whole way there.

When they finally approached the mansion gates, still nothing escaped either mouth. Lenezma waited patiently as Sesshomaru opened the gates, giving her time to follow, bag still dragging behind her. It wasn't until they came upon the front door when an actual noise was heard, Rin and Kikka running up to them as soon as the door was opened.

Kikka went directly to Lenezma, grabbing the blanket in her tiny fists, not thinking anything of it or the different kimono.

"Leny! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"I'm sorry, I went to do a little shopping. I got us some clothes and other knickknacks. I've even got some things for you, Rin,"

"For me? Really? Thanks!" she smiled brightly. She hardly knew the woman and she was bringing her gifts already!

"I'll give them out later. First, how about breakfast?"

"Yay!" both girls yelled giddily, running off towards the kitchen in a fit of giggles for no apparent reason.

"Happy kids..." she said, smiling as she watched them run off. Her smile disappeared as she turned back to Sesshomaru as he brushed past her, heading down a hallway that led away from the kitchen. "I take it you won't be joining us again?"

Sesshomaru stopped for a moment but remained silent, continuing as if he hadn't actually stopped.

"Whatever you say,"

With a little less difficulty, she picked the bag up and headed towards the stairs, walking up to her room. She'd made it all the way up the stairs before she felt she had to drop the bag again, dragging it once more to the end of the hall.

She placed it next to her bed, throwing the blanket next to it before returning to the kitchen. She could sort through the clothes later, right now she just wanted a bite to eat, hoping it might restore some of her strength as well as her stomach.

It was after lunch when Jaken disappeared again and the girls went wreaking havoc around the mansion. Sesshomaru's whereabouts were unknown as usual, but Lenezma couldn't have cared less.

Lenezma strolled through the large yard, looking over the barren grounds that consisted of only a dozen or so very large trees and a few smaller ones altogether.

Through close inspection, she managed to find a corner in the back where a single, red bud grew, but the flower was undistinguishable so far. This seemed to be the only bit of life besides the trees and grass.

"This yard would be perfect for growing more plants," she thought to herself after circling the entire house. There were so many places alongside the house and gates that just demanded to be filled, the rich soil going to waste.

Like the day before, boredom quickly set in on Lenezma, nothing to occupy her for the remainder of the day.

Her eyes gazed up at the sky, watching as the clouds rolled by slowly, being gently pushed along by the soft breeze. She sighed softly as her eyes dropped slightly, now staring at the tops of the trees beyond the gates.

A surge of light seemed to dwell inside her as she felt the joy she experienced yesterday while basking in the forest's magnificence. But it vanished quickly as she remembered Sesshomaru, knowing he wouldn't allow it, especially after she nearly got herself killed today; just remembering the shadows themselves managed to hide her desire for at least a little while.

She sighed again as she dropped her eyes to the objects below the gate walls, forcing herself to not let her thoughts wander on the outside.

She turned and headed for one of the larger trees close to a corner of the wall. Lenezma sat against the trunk, resting in the cool shade as the breeze brushed against her skin nicely.

Len rest her head back against the trunk, her eyelids growing heavy quickly as she exhaled deeply, exhaustion sinking in fast. It didn't take long for Lenezma to fall asleep there under the tree, dreaming of running through the trees and fields freely, racing the wind…

Len stirred awake at the sound of heavy footsteps approaching, a monstrous gurgling flowing from its throat. She awoke to find Ah-Un approaching her, stopping just as their heads were beneath the shade.

"Hello…" Len called peacefully with a soft smile, her eyes still heavy. The dragon moaned again before both heads dropped to feed once more, Lenezma dozing off easily.

Again she woke to the dragon's movements, opening her eyes to find it settling next to her in the grass, one head dropping to sleep while the other gazed back at her just as curiously.

Len smiled kindly as the second fell to rest next to the first, eyes closing immediately. She reached out her hand to carefully stroke its side as it lay next to her, the dragon unmoving as she pet it tenderly a few times before passing out yet again.

It wasn't until she could hear the dragons stirring did Lenezma awaken one last time, surprised to find she'd been sleeping against the dragon's side.

She yawned and stretched greatly before realizing the dragon heads were staring at their visitor, Sesshomaru. She jumped at the sight of him, but recovered quickly as she sat straight up, staring at him with an uncaring gaze. She was no longer sleepy, but her eyes were having a hard time opening all the way.

"I take it you slept well," Sesshomaru called indifferently.

"Actually…" Len started to say but stopped suddenly. It was then that she noticed the sky's orange and red cast. "Oh no! I slept all day!" she exclaimed as she realized the sun would soon be setting.

_Not that I had anything better to do, but I can't believe I slept the day away!_ She groaned, resting her head in her palm for her stupidity.

After a moment, Len lifted her head back up to find Sesshomaru still there, staring at her idly. _What?_

"Jaken has prepared dinner if you want to join them," he called carelessly, figuring she'd be hungry after a whole day's rest.

When Lenezma continued to stare back at him silently, Sesshomaru moved to walk away.

"Wait!"

Sesshomaru halted, placing his golden rods upon her once again, waiting for her to speak.

"Uh…" Len stuttered, partially forgetting what she had to say due to the fact she didn't think he'd actually stop. Lenezma stared into his eyes for a moment before grinning gently, "Thanks.

"I never thanked you for earlier, and…" she faded, her eyes dropping slightly for a moment before looking back at him, almost surprised he was still standing there and listening.

Len then looked away again with a sigh. "I'm sorry for the way I acted… I lost my father when I was still very young, so I was never properly taught to use my powers…"

She was even more surprised this time at his linger. Was he actually listening or just pretending to care?

She smirked, "But you… I bet you were taught how to kill before you could even walk,"

She grinned, knowing her words would get him walking once again and they did. She'd said what she wanted yet he still stood there, she had to get rid of him somehow!

Lenezma pushed herself up slowly, patting one of the dragon's heads softly before walking towards the house, hearing Sesshomaru close the gate behind him as he stepped out into the forest for his evening rounds.

* * *

Hey, I wanted to thank Arvael for the first review - it made me giggle and I enjoyed knowing someone got addicted just with the first few chapters. ^_^ Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Six**

Sesshomaru traveled through the trees at a slow pace, enjoying the beautiful weather the land had been receiving lately as he returned from his morning 'hunt'.

As he drew closer to the back walls of the mansion, a scratching noise was heard repeatedly, like nails on bark.

As he crept nearer and nearer, the sound only grew more constant, followed by soft grunts. Sure enough, it was indeed fingernails on bark.

Lenezma sat cross-legged on the ground, just a few feet from the protective wall around Sesshomaru's mansion. If for some reason she needed to, she could easily leap back over the wall and into safety.

She sat there, clawing away at a large branch she'd gotten from somewhere, apparently trying to cut it… or effectively scratch it at the least, but all she really seemed to be doing was hurting her fingers.

He stood motionless, watching her worthless efforts.

"What are you doing?" he finally asked.

She didn't turn at his voice, but stopped momentarily. She'd heard him approach, feeling his eyes on her, but she had ignored him.

"What does it look like? I'm trying to use these sorry excuses for claws…"

Sesshomaru took a few steps closer, inspecting the large gashes she managed to make. Sesshomaru frowned to himself; he was able to make frisbees of larger trees with his claws before he was even Rin's age.

"Well you're failing miserably."

"You think I don't know that?" she glared with a single eye, keeping her back to him. "Hmm?"

Sesshomaru passed her, walking towards a medium-small tree with a thick base, but only a few feet taller than he. In an instant, he swung his claws at the trunk, shattering the tree into many pieces, several most defined from being between the fingers.

Lenezma found herself in awe before turning into a furious silence, glaring at him with both eyes, her pupils tiny slits.

"That's how you do it."

Without another word, Sesshomaru continued on his way, walking away from her and around the corner out of sight.

"Ooh… that arrogant bastard!" she muffled her rage as she slammed her fist into her branch, watching in suspended amazement as it shattered into many pieces below her fingers.

Lenezma lifted her hand tentatively, glancing between it and the broken pieces of wood lying around her. Did she do it? Were those her claws or her hand?

She stood quickly, glancing around quickly. She ran towards another log she found lying about, and attempted to scratch it.

"… OW…!" she cringed at the pain that ran through her fingers, more pain hitting her as she realized she'd left no bigger a mark in this log than she'd been making on her branch. "Son of a…!"

For nearly half an hour she remained out there, making sure to keep close to the gates while finding suitable objects to strike at, but only managed to make slightly bigger gashes and damage her fingers more.

She collapsed next to a tree, breathing heavily as she massaged her fingers. She sighed miserably as she stared off at the trees, _Why can't I do it? I'm obviously able, I just… can't figure it out!_

Len sighed again as she dropped her gaze to her poor fingers, her nails having regenerated themselves who-knows-how-many times as she struggled.

"What did I do earlier that got it to work…?"

Len replayed the events in her head: she was working on the branch… Sesshomaru came along and embarrassed her some more…

"I was… angry when I struck the branch… Could that be it? Could my anger have triggered it?"

Lenezma jumped to her feet and searched out another suitable target. Upon finding, she stopped, took a deep breath, and concentrated…

_"You're still a teenager to me… Well you're failing miserably… That's how you do it."_

Lenezma lashed out at the log, releasing the rage that built up inside of her. In her swipe of fury, the log broke at the center, pieces of bark and splinters flying from the attack.

In a surge of joy, Lenezma leaped into the air with delight, laughing.

"I did it! I actually did it!"

She ran swiftly to the next available log, stopping to concentrate once again…

_"You can't even tell what type of demon I am, can you?"_

She felt her anger rising within her. She began focusing harder, pushing her anger into her fingers…

_"Do you know how to do anything?"_

With a burst of energy she swung at the objective with both sets of claws, feeling the energy rush through them as her fury pushed through, obliterating the log.

She began excitedly jumping from tree to tree, swiping at random branches, knocking them down and creating quite a mess, too thrilled to care - she could use her claws! Effectively!

When she finally calmed herself, she quickly gathered the broken wood, piling it alongside the gate before returning to the mansion, forcing her glee to remain hidden as she spent the rest of the evening learning to play "issen," a strange game Jaken had taught Rin to play, who now tried teaching it to her and Kikka, but it was a bit of a struggle to stay focused on the game and not on her improvement.

With a good night's sleep, she rose the next day to continue her personal training. With enough practice, Lenezma was finally able to control the power in her claws without focusing on her anger - she could be happy as could be and cut a large branch off with ease, without a second thought!

"I see you're making progress,"

Lenezma jumped at Sesshomaru's voice, the tall figure in white standing several feet behind her, watching her with his usual blank face.

"I'm trying," Lenezma responded moderately, knowing she wasn't perfect yet, which Sesshomaru would have surely held against her had she been more smug.

"Well try harder."

"What?" she shot a glare at him, Sesshomaru staring back indifferently as always.

"With all your efforts, you're still no match for any reasonably strong demon."

In a fit of rage, Lenezma lost all train of thought and control, striking at him with her half-seasoned claws before she could stop herself.

With little to no effort, Sesshomaru barely dodged her assault at all, simply turning his body to the side as her claws swiped the empty air.

Where this would normally have been the part where Len would have grown even more infuriated, Sesshomaru making fun and pissing her off even more, both instead stared at each other in dead silence.

Three short strands of silver hair fluttered gracefully to the ground at Sesshomaru's feet.

Lenezma stared with growing anxiety as they softly touched the earth, her eyes quickly darting up to watch Sesshomaru, fearing he would strike back - knowing he _wouldn't _miss, even if she tried to dodge.

_What happened? I shouldn't have hit him! There's no way I could have!_

She swallowed hard, and despite her heightened fear, she did not back down in any way, standing frozen as she stared, anticipating his assault.

He too had watched the tiny hairs land gently before returning his stone cold gaze upon the inferior half-breed feline. Perhaps he'd been _too_ careless with her.

"Not bad. Not many demons can create air slashes."

_Air slashes?_ Lenezma wondered, forgetting her fear for a moment as she removed her eyes from his, instead staring at a tree not far behind him. She had never attacked this particular tree, yet there were several large gashes imbedded in the gigantic trunk.

She returned her eyes upon the yellow ones, unpleasantly staring back.

In an instant, Sesshomaru shot a horrible, wicked death glare her way, freezing her heart.

Lenezma stood, immobilized by his horrifying scowl. He brushed past her without another word, heading off to work on today's rounds while Len was suspended in fear for several more moments.

She finally collapsed to her hands and knees, her heart beating painfully in her chest.

_Horrible… It was so horrible…_ she shuddered, remembering the malicious glint in his eyes when that sudden instance of unthinkable evil flared in his eyes, the air around her swirling with malicious intent. _I never meant to hit him… It's his fault for not moving fast enough! … IT WAS JUST A FEW HAIRS!_

No, it couldn't have just been the hair, it was the principle.

She would never have a chance to be stronger than Sesshomaru, and he meant to remind her of that, to put her back in place.

It took another few moments for her heart to officially thaw from the cold, pushing herself back to her knees as she glanced around idly, her eyes constantly coming back to the strange gashes in the trunk.

She stood and approached, placing a hand on the tree, running her fingers over the cuts delicately.

_Did I really do this? But how?_

_"Not many demons can create air slashes."_

"… Air slashes? Did I actually pull such a thing off?"

Curiously, she turned to yet another tree, nearly a foot out of hand's reach. Recalling the sense required to perform an effective scratch, she swung out her claws as if slashing at an imaginary creature, striking the wind… Lenezma gasped - there! The tree had been hit!

There were several long gashes in the tree, as if she'd physically struck the tree.

_But how? How am I able to accomplish such a thing?_

Lenezma turned steadily to yet another tree, but took more time with this one. She wanted to know what caused such a phenomena - what was happening that allowed her to strike a tree she didn't even touch?

She breathed slowly… she concentrated intensely on her surroundings: tasting the air, feeling the trees around her, the wind through the branches, the life of the forest…

Len swiped her hand yet again.

There! She sensed it! She could feel the energy flowing through her fingers. It was just like when first starting this training of hers, but even though she hit nothing, the energy continued to escape her, slicing through the air until finding a target.

Again she tried it… Yes! She could feel it flowing through the air, sense the very impact it had on the trees.

Lenezma couldn't believe it! She'd actually accomplished something better than just scratching!

_Hmph! And some people said I'd never amount to anything! Well look who's dead and who's learning to kick butt!_

Len chuckled at her own estranged thoughts, amused that she'd actually thought such a thing. She had a small imagination, but her mind did like to wander sometimes.

This actually set her apart from her sister and now Rin; both girls seemed to have wild imaginations, which allowed them to come up with new things everyday. As a child, sure, Len found amusement in the littlest of things, letting her imagination dwell on her surroundings while in the forests.

But since running, she'd been unable to enjoy such leisures. She was just glad Kikka managed to keep her imagination full, unlike herself.

After practicing a few more times, Lenezma retired for the evening and returned to the mansion proudly.

After breakfast the next day, Lenezma returned to the forest where she continued to practice for a bit, making sure she could remember everything she'd learnt so far.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"Jaken,"

Jaken turned at his Lord's voice surprised to find him at the doorway of the kitchen - Sesshomaru normally did not come so close to entering, never going in there as far as any of them knew.

"I want you to make some of that melon dessert tonight,"

"My melon dessert? Hmm… that does sound good since we haven't had it in so long… But I don't even have some of the ingredients! It could take me some time to gather them all from the forest!"

"Then make the girl get them," Sesshomaru replied as he turned his back.

"The girl? You think she can actually handle the forest?"

"She'll manage. If not, you can always retrieve them instead."

Jaken gulped as his lord walked away. It was highly unusual for Sesshomaru to make such a request, especially since he did not eat the food himself. _Does he really think Lenezma will be okay on her own? I didn't think she could defend herself! Oh well, not my problem if she gets killed… _Jaken gulped again as he thought about some of the obstacles he usually faced while gathering the different fruits and herbs. _… Then again, I almost hope she can handle it so I don't have to…!_

When Lenezma returned from her morning workout, she went straight towards the kitchen for a drink of water.

"Ah, good! You're here!" Jaken called as she entered, the imp sitting at the table trying to find the recipe for his mother's famous dessert.

"What is it?" she asked calmly, though actually slightly surprised he was waiting for her. He still seemed to be avoiding her most of the time, only speaking to her in succession when playing Issen.

"I'm planning on making a dessert, but I'm missing some of the ingredients! I need you to go out and get them!"

"What? But…" Len faded. _But Sesshomaru has forbidden me to go too far beyond the walls… I'm surprised he still lets me work just on the other side of them._ "Does Sesshomaru know about this?"

"Fine!" he burst. "If you're too chicken I guess I'll have to do it myself!" the little imp turned up his nose as he turned to leave.

"No, wait!"

Lenezma thought a moment, Jaken waiting patiently. _Hmph, I knew my trick would work!_ Jaken smiled to himself, positive she'd accept.

Finally she nodded her head, "I'll do it,"

"Good, now here's what I need…"

Shopping list in mind, Lenezma went out onto the grounds and snuck outside of the wall, one of Jaken's bags in hand.

_"First you need to find the patch of melons to the north of the mansion! They'll have small yellow stripes around the center - I need two of them!"_

_Mmm… Why did I agree to this? I know I want to see more of the forest, and maybe even prove to Sesshomaru that I'm not as worthless as he thinks, but did I really have to do it this way? Gathering ingredients for Jaken?_ _Oh well, it's Jaken's fault if I get caught…_

Len moved at a fast walk, straining her senses for any other life. Within a mile of the mansion she stumbled upon the melon patch; she picked two, both about the size of Kikka's head, before heading east.

_From the melon patch go east for a little bit where you should find several berry bushes - I need about 20 of both yellow and red ones. _

Sure enough, the berry bushes were just twenty yards away from the melons. She inspected the yellow bush, taking a rough guess at how many she'd have to break off, doing the same for the reds. She placed the berries in the bag next to the melons before taking exactly ten paces further east of the largest yellow berry bush. Len smirked as she remembered how she had to compare her walking to Jaken's to figure out exactly how far to go.

She knelt down and looked around at the different weed looking plants around her; Jaken had requested several types of seasoning, but Lenezma had no idea which ones he wanted. So, she ripped one of each out of the ground and placed them in her bag.

Taking a moment to scan the area, she headed back for the mansion.

"Wow… not bad. You not only got everything right but you got me some spices I can use in other recipes!" Jaken observed as he shifted through the bag of goods. Without another word, he took one of the melons and turned to the table to begin.

Lenezma stood there a moment before crossing her arms and glaring down at the midget demon. "Ahem!"

Jaken glanced back before glaring right back in response to the rude way she looked upon him. "What?"

"I believe you owe me something!"

"Hmph!" Jaken turned up his nose before turning back to the table, refusing to do as she requested. Not good.

The imp squealed as Lenezma's foot came down on him, smashing him to the floor, pinning him there.

"Listen to me! I don't care who you think you are, but regardless of my heritage, you _will_ have the decency to thank me when I do something for you!"

When Jaken made no immediate reply, she pressed harder, getting another squeal out of him. "All right, thank you! AHH!" he cried again as Len still pressed harder, plenty of weight left in her to force down on him.

"Don't bother if you're not going to mean it!"

After a few more gasps of air, her foot smashing his lungs, he finally managed to cry out "THANK YOU!"

Lenezma removed her foot, but continued to glare down at the little imp as he began breathing much easier. Before he could rise to dust himself off, Len turned and stormed out of the kitchen.

She moved quickly through the halls, heading for the front door for some fresh air to cool her off. She didn't like being this angry, but he'd pissed her off!

Len stopped and gasped as she came around the last corner, Sesshomaru standing there on his own way towards one of the many other rooms. He stared down at her, easily sensing her anger - not to mention he had heard their entire conversation.

She stared back for a moment before her anger and glare returned, though not directed at him; she looked away quickly as she brushed past him. Sesshomaru stared with one gold eye as she threw open the door and headed outside, closing the door rather roughly.

She threw herself brusquely at the base of the same tree she'd fallen asleep under. Her arms immediately resumed their crossed position, her fists clenched behind her elbows as she stared at the far end of the yard.

_Just when I thought he was starting to accept me, he does something like that! That rude, impish little…!_

Len sighed with a gruff groan as her enraged thoughts jumbled together, her fury only growing.

_They're both the same!_ She growled, thinking of both Jaken and Sesshomaru now. _Neither of them would ever thank anyone unless their lives depended on it! No… Sesshomaru wouldn't. He'd rather die than thank someone - no matter what they were! Jaken is just a discriminatory little bastard!_ She grumbled on again, her hatred returning solely to Jaken.

"You need to teach that little imp of yours some manners!" Lenezma called when she sensed Sesshomaru nearby. Unmoving, she watched as he came into view, heading towards the door and stepping out without making a single comment or even sparing a glance in her direction.

Len growled again, but not nearly as severely. _Figures, just when I thought HE was beginning to accept me he doesn't even acknowledge my presence!_

Then, curiously, Len smirked slightly and she took a calm, deep breath. _But that's Sesshomaru I guess… He doesn't seem to take notice unless you don't want him to. _"Besides: _Sesshomaru_? Accepting me? There's a laugh!" Len finished her thoughts aloud and smiled a little more, but returned to a state of nothingness as she calmed herself of all emotions.

Lenezma did not eat dinner with the three, Rin and Kikka getting to eat Jaken's desert. She was actually in her room when the girls came and knocked.

"Come in,"

"Leny? We snuck you some food!" Kikka called as they opened the door, smiling as they peered in.

Len laughed at their silly efforts before slipping down from the window sill. She wasn't hungry, but if they managed to sneak food out from under Jaken's nose it deserved to be eaten!

They sat on her bed as they offered a dish of Jaken's desert to her.

Though reluctant at first, Lenezma went ahead and decided to try it. "Wow! That's actually really good!"

"Isn't it, though?" Rin smiled. "Jaken's not that great a cook, but he can make excellent desserts!"

Lenezma finished the dessert in no time, enjoying it thoroughly despite the maker. The girls remained in her room for most of the evening, doing nothing but talking. Regardless of her curiosity, Len refrained from asking how Rin had come into the company of Sesshomaru.

Kikka picked up the dish as they stood, deciding to go get ready for bed before it got much later.

"Thanks for the desert, girls," Len thanked them once again.

"No problem!" Rin giggled. Suddenly her eyes wandered up as she thought about something. "It's kind of funny, I was just wishing we could have some the other day… I wonder if perhaps Lord Sesshomaru said something to Master Jaken?"

"Sesshomaru?" Len inquired, interested.

"Yes, he was around when I thought about it, so he probably told Jaken. I've personally never seen him do it, but I often hear Master Jaken rambling about why the Lord asks him to do so much for me,"

Lenezma smiled at her silly expression. "He really cares for you, doesn't he?"

"Lord Sesshomaru? I like to think so!" she grinned. "Well, good night, Leny!"

"Goodnight, Rin; goodnight Kikka!" she called to them, her chance to ask of Rin's coming along missing its moment. The girls bid goodnight before shutting the door quietly, sneaking away down the hall.

Lenezma gazed out the window, listening to the night birds twittering in the trees as the wind blew softly.

_Could… could Sesshomaru have asked Jaken to send me out for the ingredients? But… why? _

Len kept her thoughts to herself, but two days later, when she and Jaken were back on good terms, he sent her out for more items. And a few days following, he asked her yet again.

Her suspicions were confirmed.

Lenezma could once again be found beneath the large tree in the corner of the front yard, Ah-Un, not surprisingly, grazing nearby. She seemed to be sleeping, but easily blinked open her eyes at Sesshomaru's passing, coming from the backyard.

"Good evening," she called politely, apparently in a rather happy and carefree mood.

Sesshomaru, of course, made no response as he looked upon her and the two headed dragon. Sesshomaru barely gave them a second blink continuing towards the front gates.

"Um, Sesshomaru?" Len called weakly before he could walk very far. He slowed, but did not stop nor look back at her. "… Thank you."

He stopped. It took him a moment before finally looking back, a small, feint smile visible on her face.

"I know you've had Jaken send me out for things lately, and whether it was your intention or not, I feel much more confident with my senses… So thank you."

Her smile grew slightly before Sesshomaru looked back towards the front without an answer.

"And…" she started, hoping to get her question out before he left, managing to regain a single golden eye. "I was wondering… if you would mind training me…? Officially, that is?"

Sesshomaru stared at her long and hard, his eyes unwavering as they pierced through her. Without a noise or motion of any sort, indicating whether he'd accepted or declined, Sesshomaru turned and continued towards the front gate once again.

Lenezma, disheartened, fell back against the tree with a soft sigh before dropping her gaze to the grass.

_What do I have to do to prove myself to him?_

She listened as he opened the front doors, stepping out, yet hesitating to close them behind him. She looked back up to find him halfway visible from behind the door, staring at her blankly.

"Be ready early."

* * *

Youkou = sunshine/sunlight (one of the few friends mentioned in the previous chapter)  
Issen = a game, a bout (how original, I know) - to explain, "Issen" is a completely made up game, but I imagine the gameplay as a mix between chess and checkers/chinese checkers

All right, the story is finally going to pick up and gets rolling – even I think the next few chapters are more interesting and have some of my favorite lines. So… yay.


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven**

"I'm going to attack and you're going to dodge," Sesshomaru oh-so-vaguely explained after leading Lenezma out into the forest. The area was filled with trees but evenly spaced out, giving them enough room to work while having obstacles around as well.

Without another word or signal, Sesshomaru's venomous whip fell from his fingertips before lashing out at her.

Understandably surprised by his abruptness, Lenezma gave a soft scream before ducking away from it, missing it by no more than a few inches.

Again and again the whip belted for her, Len narrowly avoiding it each time. He had her heart racing in no time, her adrenaline pumping rapidly as her eyes remained locked onto the whip in an attempt to watch and avoid it.

Lenezma knew this was going to be strenuous: she'd made sure to bring an old kimono and tie her hair back, informing Jaken that she would not be home to help cook for the girls.

She highly doubted Sesshomaru was trying his best to strike her, but at this pace she had no desire to see what that would be like - this was hard enough!

A few close calls brought her to her knees, crawling and diving for safety time and time again to avoid the treacherous whip, having to take refuge behind trees just long enough for her to get back to her feet – she had a good feeling his whip could reach her through even the thickest of these trees.

Again, Lenezma found herself digging her toes into the dirt and pushing off for dear life, barely avoiding the burning poison. She rolled, dodged, jumped, ducked, dived… anything it took to get away unscratched, the fear she felt for her life preventing her from being more cautious and precise, leaving her sloppy with hysteria and panic.

It seemed like forever before Sesshomaru finally stopped, pulling away the whip.

Len almost instantly rest her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She hadn't worked out this much since she was a kid - but even then her life wasn't on the line!

Sesshomaru was quite idle not far off, standing, watching her with a scowl, disgraced by her fatigue.

"Pathetic."

Lenezma's eyes darted towards his, staring into his awful glare. His gaze left her feeling he could kill her right then and there - no training, pure death.

"Forgive me if I haven't been killing since I was five!" she retorted before looking back at the ground as her breath began to return to her once again.

"I could care less about that; your abilities in general are enough to drive one insane."

In an instant fists and claws were swinging left and right at Sesshomaru's face, but his cold yellow eyes only stared impatiently at her futile attempts to strike him. Even when her air slashes came, he dodged without so much as a blink.

In one particular attempt to make forceful contact with his face, Sesshomaru's hand caught Lenezma's wrist easily, causing her to gasp. It wasn't surprising, and yet she didn't expect it.

Her fist shook as she fought his grip, but hardly any of his real energy was even going into restraining her hand. Just before her other hand could rush forward in another attempt, he freed her wrist only to set his own fist into motion, slamming into Lenezma's abdomen.

She cried out upon impact, flying backwards shortly before slamming into a tree and crumpling forward. She sat doubled over, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso as she fought to breath in between painful coughs; tears, spittle and blood dripping onto the dirt.

Amidst her pain, Sesshomaru said only these few words:

"Your offensive is too slow."

"… So… of a… bi… ch…" she gurgled, her words incoherent to even herself.

"Get up," he called just a few moments later after most of the pain had passed, leaving a stiff ache in her stomach and the foul taste of blood in her mouth. "Go back on the defensive."

Len glared hatefully at him, obscenities coursing through her head as she clenched her teeth. She painfully pushed herself to a stand, gasping at a sudden twinge of pain when she tried to stand up straight.

Before she could make any form of protest, Sesshomaru's claws were radiating with their toxin. The whip flung at her as she barely avoided its deadly licks, diving behind trees and occasionally faced with rolling and crawling for safety when given little time to recuperate from his attacks. It had begun all over again, and Sesshomaru did not seem to care to take her throbbing stomach into consideration as his whip remained as ferocious as ever.

Round two did not last long before Sesshomaru finally decided this wasn't worth his time. With a few more insults and a harsh glare, he walked away, leaving her alone amongst the trees, still panting.

"Don't come back to me until you're ready to take this seriously."

Lenezma watched him go with his smug air of superiority, stuck in awe to think that he didn't consider this a serious struggle to stay alive. What did he expect from her? How many times did she have to remind him of her handicap?

And all at once, her knuckles turned white with tension, her sapphires burning with rage as she stared in the direction he disappeared.

"Oh no you don't… I finally got you out here to train me and I am NOT going to let you get off so easily!"

She jumped to her feet hastily, pushing aside her previous exhaustion, racing through the trees after that arrogant bastard in white.

Len approached him rapidly, the demon never going beyond a simple walk: "Get back here!" she cried just as she swiped at him with her claws… but he was gone.

Her eyes darted frantically, but the demon had vanished right in front of her… _No…_

She dove to the side just in time to see the venomous whip flash by, dancing in the air for a moment before jumping at her once again.

In a flashy second, Lenezma jumped away once again, managing a back flip around the whip just as it came back from her blind side.

She landed and glared at the white demon, his whip dancing freely through the air as his eyes stared just as blankly as ever. The whip took aim once again.

As if suddenly a pro, Lenezma dodged the whip time and again with little effort, barely slipping in-between each stroke all the while closing the gap between them.

_Now!_ Len told herself, bracing herself as she dove forward impulsively, claws outstretched.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.

Suddenly an insanely bright light flared before her, blinding and halting her efforts, her claws unable to move forward. _Wh… what is this?_

She fought against it, the light slowly fading just enough for her to see Sesshomaru standing just as cockily as ever, his hair fluttering majestically behind him. This was him… this was his energy, she was sure of it! It held her off so easily, and yet he didn't seem at all affected, as if she were a minor inconvenience.

Principle.

Though her claws remained firm against his energy barrier, her expression as determined as ever, she felt her heart quiver within. _What kind of devil IS he?_

Cries of pain escaped her as she was suddenly thrown back, the energy blowing up in her face, sending the feline rolling across the dirt.

With a quick fit of coughs, Lenezma slowly pushed herself up to her hands and knees, looking up just in time to see her reflection against Sesshomaru's blade. Once again, the sword was pointed at her neck, the look in his eyes solid and indecipherable.

She knew what she said earlier, about Sesshomaru needing her for Kikka and Rin, but the way he stared down at her now… The chances of him letting her live were looking pretty poor.

Either way, she stared back just as firmly. If she was going to die, at least she'd go out with pride intact, no begging for mercy – that would make all levels of respect for the half-demon drop significantly, both in his eyes as well as her own.

No, she wasn't going to give in to him; she was here to prove something! She was here to learn and get stronger! She couldn't give in now! Wasn't that why she pursued him? So that he would take her seriously? _That's right, you crazy bastard. I'm in this for the long-haul!_

In a rather brash and daring move, her glare deepened as her hand pushed the blade away, bringing herself to a full stand against his towering frame. _I'm not going to be intimidated now! Not by YOU!_

"Well? Am I taking it seriously enough for you now?" she growled low in her voice, her breath a little on the heavy side; even some of her hair had fallen wildly in her face, her neatly pulled back hair now greatly resembling a frizzy bird's nest

Sesshomaru just stared right back for several seconds, taking great consideration in her defiance – he didn't know whether to blame her actions on bravery or plain stupidity.

With a quick relaxing of the eyes, Sesshomaru sheathed his sword and turned his back on her once again. For a split second, her rage built up incredibly, ready to explode when he finally spoke…

"Let's take a break."

Len blinked curiously for a few seconds as he began walking off, wondering if she'd really heard him correctly. With few other options, she trailed softly behind him, apprehensive to draw too close or speak with him – she knew the risks behind her actions.

In the end, he led her to a small spring surrounded by large trees and a few rocks, the ground made up mostly of grass, sunlight penetrating through the canopy in tiny patches here and there.

Remaining where she stood, she watched Sesshomaru step over the thin brook, coming to stand beside a large boulder before glancing back at her with a look of 'well?'

Still a little apprehensive, Len stepped forward easily, dropping gently at the bank's edge in order to take a drink, all the while keeping her senses locked on the white devil that accompanied her. She still had no idea whether or not she could trust him…

"So…" she spoke up after several moments, unable to stand the tense silence any further. "How do you use it?"

Sesshomaru's blank eyes just stared.

"That whip of yours… that's your innate power, right? Venom?"

"You need control over your powers in order to use them effectively," he replied rather easily. He almost didn't answer, having to remind himself that he was the one to volunteer as tutor – besides, he knew she would just keep asking dumb questions until he finally said something.

"Sure, but how do you bring it out?"

His eyes turned critical, Lenezma instantly turning away from him to avoid scrutiny… but should have known better…

"What makes you think you have an innate power? Most half-demons have to rely on their energy alone – much like those air slashes of yours."

Len's head dropped softly to the grass, her eyes clouding with lost emotions. "Because I used them as a child…"

Lenezma chuckled faintly, glancing up at him only for a second before returning her eyes to the grass; "My parents used to have a hard time keeping me in check, always trying to catch the house on fire…

"My mother usually reprimanded me, but Father… He'd play the part while Mother was around, but once we were alone, he used to praise and encourage me…"

For a fleeting instant, flashes of his own parents returned to Sesshomaru…

… And with a hard blink, he pushed them away.

His eyes fell upon her once again, sitting in the grass with averted eyes, her lips moving subtly…

"Father…" she whispered under her breath, barely audible even to his ears. He could barely see her eyes, but from what he could tell, they seemed full of heart-felt sentiment. Didn't she say she had lost him at a young age or something like that? He didn't bother to pay much attention…

But as he watched, another expression overcame her face, her eyes darkening while her fists clenched in her lap. A piece to the puzzle?

Suddenly her eyes raised to his own, innocence returned; "Sorry; I was just wondering since I really don't remember how to use them…" she spoke softly, glancing down at her hands, remembering how easy it used to be… If only she could remember it…!

"We'll deal with that later," Sesshomaru replied, almost as if promising her. "For now, we'll stick to the basics until you're capable of handling the more advanced techniques."

And with that, Sesshomaru began walking once again, heading in a different direction while Len watched from the grass…

_So he's really going to do this… to teach and train me… _A gentle smile crossed her lips; _Thank you, Sesshomaru. _

It was then that he turned back to her, just catching a glimpse of the smile before it disappeared. "Back to work."

The next few days followed just the same: Sesshomaru led Lenezma out into the forest, often to the same place, where they would perform several exercises in order to… Oh, who am I kidding? Lenezma fended for her life left and right.

"You have to be able to survive before you can fight back," he told her once during one of their afternoon breaks. "Better to escape a battle you can't win than die a meaningless death."

"And do you follow this principle as well?" she eyed him almost teasingly, a shrewd sparkle in her sapphires.

He stared back a moment before she thought she saw a humorous glint in his eyes…

"Of course not; my enemies are the ones that flee. Not I."

"Hmm… of course," Len smirked, for once amused by his arrogance.

One day, however, Sesshomaru did not attempt to kill her, instead he started her on some new exercises, ones that honed her senses.

With a blindfold over her eyes and hands tied, Lenezma was put through some surprisingly rigorous tasks, allowed only the use of her nose and ears to find her way from one place to another, relying on pure animal instinct to overcome some of the obstacles without the aid of her eyes and hands.

This work out co-mingled with the dodging sessions, usually switching with each other every other day.

On the side, during the down time when Sesshomaru would be out patrolling the lands, Lenezma kept herself busy by teaching herself acrobats and aerobics, keeping her body in top condition, becoming very agile and limber in all her movements.

"Wow, Leny! That's so cool!" Kikka and Rin cried out in awe, watching her flip and somersault freely around the yard, twirling on her fingers and toes easily.

She landed gracefully on her feet, turning to them with a silly grin and wave.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked cheerily as she approached them.

"Just waiting for Jaken!" Rin replied. "He's taking us out to collect some food and herbs! You wanna come?"

"Ooh, I'd like to, but Sesshomaru said we would go out once he returned…" she faded, sincerely disappointed in the chance to spend more time with the girls. She'd been out training with Sesshomaru so much she hardly ever got to play with them in between all the training, bathing, and sleeping.

"You sure are spending a lot of time with Lord Sesshomaru, aren't you?" Kikka cocked her head innocently.

"Don't call him lord," she coldly warned her little sister. "We didn't pledge our allegiance to him. But... yes, I suppose I have been spending quite a bit of time out there…" she faded softly.

Rin and Kikka exchanged a nervous glance, confused by her strong disapproval of mentioning Sesshomaru's title, especially when he was the ruler of these lands and they lived in his home. Odd…

"What do you guys do out there?" Rin asked curiously. "Do you help protect the forest?"

"Er, well, not really… not yet, anyway. I'm still going through basic training at the moment, just learning to stay alive and all."

"Oh, well that's important too!" Rin encouraged her cheerfully. "You have to survive above all else!"

"Yeah, and then you can protect us in a bunch of cool ways!" Kikka grinned cheerfully, raising Lenezma's spirits over her current training system for the first time since Sesshomaru first agreed to help her. Lately she'd been wanting to try a different routine but wasn't sure how to bring it up with her moody teacher.

"Hmm… thank you, Kikka; Rin. I tell you what, how about the two of you pick out a day and I'll skip training to come play with you, all right?"

"You promise?" both giggled excitedly.

"Promise!"

"Rin! Kikka!" Jaken's voice carried from across the yard, the little imp just visible near the front doors from their current location, Ah-Un saddled up and ready to go at his side. "Let's go!"

"Coming!" Rin cried out loudly before running for the front. "Later, Leny!" she cried with a quick spin, waving before continuing on.

"Bye, Leny," Kikka nodded easily before following after Rin.

"Bye, Kikka. Stay close to Jaken and listen to what he has to say!" Len called out to her sister as she jogged down the hill in pursuit of Rin.

This was perhaps the third time Jaken had taken them out like this, complying with the request to take the girls along so that they might learn a thing or two.

The girls had been begging to join him for several days now, and Len fully approved of the idea, sweet talking Jaken into submission. Heck, she almost felt like joining them once in a while, especially after Kikka was able to tell her about a few herbs she'd never seen before.

Her mother had taught her quite a bit about herbs and their various uses – hence all the medicines and cosmetics she was able to create – but felt herself quite captivated by the new plants and their properties, bringing a bit of the gardener out in her…

Speaking of plants, the bud she'd found in the far corner had finally bloomed into a beautiful red carnation, followed quickly by three others and even a white poppy plant. When no one was around, she'd often sneak back there and give them a little water to aid their growth.

She felt it unnecessary to do so in such a deceiving manner, but had no idea how a guy who left his yard so bland and bare would react to the garden in the corner, especially if it continued to expand.

Yes, Sesshomaru was certainly a crazy one, especially when it came to battles.

He was incredibly knowledgeable about the body and various techniques and such, holding a vast bestiary in his head with strengths and weaknesses easily at hand.

But it was his tactics that scared Lenezma.

When he fought, it was like that single instant before the kill was all he lived for. She'd been able to witness him in real action on several occasions, leaving her in awe at how efficiently he worked and frightened by how gracefully he accepted death and tried explaining every little detail to her.

She knew that it was crucial to understand and inevitable that she come to terms with death, especially if _Sesshomaru_ was going to train her to be of any use, she was just hoping for a little easier introduction to the subject than that massive goring she witnessed. _Those poor boar demons never stood a chance…_

As time wore on, however, Lenezma was beginning to desire a change in her schedule.

The constant defense and instinct training was quickly becoming boring and repetitive. She felt much more confident than ever, absolutely, but didn't Sesshomaru think it was time they moved on?

She'd been reluctant to bring it up with him, hoping that one of these days he would just announce it out of the blue and they'd start offensive training, but nothing changed.

Finally, one afternoon while taking a break at the usual spot, Lenezma brought it up… and Sesshomaru declined.

"Oh come on! We've been doing this defensive stuff for nearly three weeks! What's keeping me from advancing?"

"What makes you think you're ready?"

"Why not?"

"You are still ignorant to the world around you…"

"And that's why you should teach me to fight!" she interrupted him hastily, determined to at least get a real response from him, not just measly excuses.

"That's why you should wait. What makes you think you're capable of fighting at this point? You've never even killed anything before!"

And just like that, Lenezma snapped.

"What makes you think I've never killed?" she growled viciously, no longer pleading with him or protecting her own pride. The way her eyes narrowed and her voice darkened, he could tell she was doing more than simply defending herself.

"Just because I can't fight or use my powers anymore… because I've been hiding among humans… I may not have the mental capacity to slaughter any and everything like you, but don't think I have never killed someone before!

"It was because of that damned fool that I'm here now! That everything has happened! Him and that… that whore…" she faded miserably, suddenly breaking down into an emotional wreck.

Lenezma dropped to her knees dejectedly, collapsing into a wretched mess at his feet, trying to hold back the melancholic angst that filled her heart every time she remembered it.

Sesshomaru did not move nor speak, oblivious of her past to know what had happened – not to mention he was not the sentimental type that comforted the less fortunate. He knew she would go on when ready…

… But he didn't think she'd keep talking…

"I'm sorry. After my father died, my mother remarried shortly after…" she started, feeling her sudden breakdown should be explained. "I never liked him… Just human scum that mistreated me and even Kikka when she was born… He never knew I was part demon though, concealed by my mother's medicines; the drunken bastard never saw it coming.

"I tried to tell my mom what he was doing to us, but she never listened… and then one night, drunk as usual, he started to beat Kikka worse than ever.

"I couldn't take it any more: I did everything I possibly could to that man, scratching and burning him, seeing the fear in his eyes… It… it thrilled me…"

Sesshomaru remained silent, listening to her story with few thoughts or reflections, simply staring at her while the moisture in her eyes was replaced by a wicked gleam, her claws twitching.

And just as quickly, her eyes turned to sorrow and confusion, remembering the look in her mother's eyes, the screams, the betrayal…

"But then mother came home and saw what I had done… She screamed and cursed at me, taking the human's side over her own children…!" she finished with a sense of rage, her fists balled up tightly in the grass.

"I couldn't take it anymore, so I grabbed Kikka and ran, running as fast as I could to get away from her… It was only the next day before we were picked up by traders and sold to that damned whore house as servant girls!

"I hated it with every ounce of my soul, but… Kikka was safe… that was all that mattered…"

_So it was a brothel they came from… Humans really are disgusting creatures…_

"Why didn't you just leave her there?"

"I couldn't do that!" Len met his eyes, almost incredulous that he'd even suggest such a thing. "How would that look in her eyes? I killed her father, took her away from her mother and home, and then just left her? At a brothel of all places?

"I'd gotten her into the mess and I wasn't about to abandon her. So I stayed… all the while forgetting everything and growing more lost with each passing day…"

_It's seems odd that Lenezma would live in such a place – I can't see her pride giving in to such demands._

Lenezma slowly began to stand, avoiding his eyes at first but eventually looking into them with a faint smile; "But that's all over now. Everyone from that wretched place is dead now and Kikka and I are finally free… Thanks to you, of course," she added with a strange note.

His eyes narrowed slightly, recognizing that obscured message: "Don't think you can con me into your new training."

The shocked expression that followed easily revealed her intentions; "What? How could you even think such a thing?" she replied sarcastically, a silly grin on her face.

Without a response, Sesshomaru began walking away easily, Lenezma smiling to herself before following him to their next training destination…

"Um… Sesshomaru?" she called a little while later, just before Len would have to start dodging whips and claws, her voice downbeat and serious as she shakily met his eyes. "Listen, I just wanted to say I really am grateful… Everything that I said earlier is true, and if it weren't for you, Kikka and I would still be in that hell hole.

"But," she added quickly, a quirky tone in her voice, "please don't assume so much about me just because I'm a half-demon, along with all that other crap you often hold against me. It may surprise you just how much I do know…"

Sesshomaru made little response before his claws began to glow green, and Lenezma prepared herself for the final bouts of training for the evening…

_She has the foolish sentiments of a human, but admitted that she enjoyed watching her enemy cower in his dying moments… She may be more demon than I previously thought – her pride certainly supports this notion. _

_Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to see if she truly is ready to advance…_


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight**

"You have to move faster than that – your enemies will not hesitate, so you shouldn't either."

"I'm not hesitating! I'm trying to think!"

"Then _think_ faster. The stronger your enemy is, the less time you'll have. You have to learn to think on your feet, on the spot, or you won't get far at all."

_Easy for you to say, you've been doing this for years! This is my third day, give me a break!_

Lenezma charged at him, swinging her claws as she got within range, but the white demon did nothing more than dodge her with ease… as he'd done since day one.

She tried telling him that one of these days she was going to actually hit her opponent and wouldn't know what to do afterwards because she was never taught in her training.

He ignored her.

"Faster!"

"Grr… Shut up!" she cried out, irritated by his incessant commands. Her claws dove in, ready to slash at his chest.

A gasp of pain was heard… but it was not Sesshomaru's.

As her hand was just about to strike, his own hand grabbed her wrist and twisted it aside before pushing her away with a burst of energy, throwing her nearly ten yards before she rolled like a rag doll.

For several seconds her body remained still with only the heaving of life in her chest as any indication of her status.

With several grumbles and utterances, Lenezma slowly rolled herself over in order to push herself up. Her kimono was ripped and covered with dirt and grass stains, a few cuts visible on her face as well.

Her sapphires glanced up dangerously as she heard his feet approaching, just barely able to see his eyes…

"You mustn't give your enemies the chance to subdue your efforts or counter attack for that matter."

Her eyes narrowed.

In an instant, large energy currents were slicing the air, plowing their way through two large oaks before dispersing, the trees shattering upon impact, their bulk dropping to the ground in an earth trembling crash.

Lenezma growled viciously as Sesshomaru landed nimbly on his feet after having just dodged the assault that was so hatefully meant for him.

As he met her eyes once again, his own were just as unpleasant.

"Your eyes gave you away. Don't be so careless in the future."

"Grr… Give me a fucking break! It's hard for me to learn anything when all you do is kick my ass!" she snarled as she pushed herself up to a stand, making herself as tall as she could against his domineering frame.

"This isn't something you can readily teach – you learn through experience."

"And what am I learning? How to _recover_ from a beating?"

"From what I've seen so far, that might be all you'll ever learn."

"You son of a…!" she swiped at him yet again, only small energy slashes able to escape before the assault renewed itself.

Before she could even react, a screen of venom scorched her flesh, causing her to flinch as a small amount sprayed into her eyes. Lenezma barely managed to gasp even a little before she was hit by an incredible force directly in the throat.

Sesshomaru's fingers clasped around her throat, picking her up off her feet as he rushed forward, slamming her frail body into the nearest tree with a terrifying force, crushing her between his fingers and the bark.

Len's eyes flared upon impact, red with irritation from the venomous spray. Bark from the tree's outer layer shattered from the force, flying through the air like shrapnel all around them.

For that first, fleeting instant, Sesshomaru found himself relishing in the pain she exhibited, the fear that flashed in her eyes as she came to realize the predicament she was in…

But it quickly vanished.

Before her eyes had even recovered from the poison she was glaring daggers right back at him, her body struggling furiously against his hold.

"You… ass hole!" she managed to cry out despite his grip, a string of curses running through her head as she glared death, her claws digging into his wrist tightly, breaking the skin and burrowing in as far as they could go, her fingers brushing against veins and bones alike, but Sesshomaru hardly reacted.

He ignored the physical pain in his wrist quite well, but was surprised by her struggles – she wasn't even attempting to breath, only to do as much harm to him as possible. As if her claws were not enough, he soon began to feel a new sensation burning into his skin… literally.

She may not have been able to control it, but her innate powers were certainly coming through in her time of desperation; his flesh was heating up rapidly, searing his skin where she held him.

The air around them was growing hot, waves of heat emanating from her like a bon fire, tempting portions of his body to break out into a sweat.

"Let… me… go…" was the only other thing she said. She did not beg or plead for mercy, she wasn't even trying to fight for air – she was commanding him, almost threatening him to release her despite his upper hand in the situation.

Small wafts of smoke began billowing from Sesshomaru's wrists, his skin turning black. Even the tree he pinned her to was beginning to smoke.

For several long moments Sesshomaru did not move or loosen his grip, pushing the pain aside in order to continue to match her wicked glare, staring deep into the churning hatred…

Her body dropped like a ton of bricks, collapsing at his feet as she desperately took in deep gasps of air, her bloody fingers massaging her bruised neck as she coughed and tried to breath at the same time.

Sesshomaru observed the wounds on his arm for only a moment before dropping it back to his side, looking down upon the defiant half-breed at his feet.

"Get up. Try again."

Her eyes flashed dangerously amidst her coughing, but didn't object. He wasn't sure she was going to do anything, but before he could repeat himself, she began to stir.

With a few muffled coughs, Lenezma slowly pushed herself up to a stand. Stumbling a bit at first, the half-demon came to stand tall and proud against him once again, her last minute breaths hoarse and strained. But when she forced herself to stop, she stood strongly before him as if there was nothing left to lose.

"On your command…" she struggled to talk, her voice still wheezy from being pinched close for so long.

After another second or so, Sesshomaru nodded.

When the fighting resumed, the great dog demon could hardly believe she was the same demon he'd beaten senseless earlier.

Her abilities and tactics had improved significantly out of the blue, as if pinning her to a tree was all that was needed to jumpstart her performance.

She was coming at him stronger than before, growing closer and closer to landing a hit, all the while avoiding his counter attacks, even if by a hair.

It was just like that first day of defensive training.

Lenezma had started off poorly, unable to do anything correctly in his eyes, but as soon as he threatened her, pushing her into a rage (and beating her some more), she was suddenly capable of much more.

_Half-demons are known to become stronger when a loved one is threatened… She has no one to protect out here but herself, and very few creatures grow stronger with defeat… What drives her on?_

"That's enough!" he called as he leapt far out of her range, landing innocently while both set of eyes simply stared each other down in mutual spite. "We'll take a break and then resume…"

He turned easily, unafraid of turning his back on her. A moment later, he could hear her following at an even pace.

The tension between them was extremely intense, neither even considering talking to the other.

At the brook, Sesshomaru settled on the large boulder as always, spacing off for a moment before glancing back at Lenezma.

She was knelt down beside the stream, staring at her reflection…

Her neck and bits of her face were smeared with blood, and her fingers were caked in dried crimson.

Len dipped her hands in the water, scrubbing them roughly to rid herself of Sesshomaru's venomous blood, scraping out from under her claws furiously. Ever since she pierced his skin she has felt the poisonous element in his blood burning her skin, slowly but surely.

Only after her claws had been cleaned did she rinse off her neck and face, cleaning off the trace amounts that lingered in much less harmful doses. All the same, the added venom to her sore neck was quite displeasing.

As she worked, Sesshomaru felt compelled to check on his wrist, which had started to throb just after calling the break.

As his sleeve dropped, he found his wrist still covered in his blood, though most of it was dry by now. The wound had healed considerably, but still resembled a small bite with a slight chunk missing from his arm. As for his skin, it, too, had recovered quite a bit, but most of his wrist was still black and charred, as if it were rotting off.

Lenezma glanced over curiously at the sounds of tampered water, finding Sesshomaru also kneeling at the brook in order to clean it as well.

_Hmph! Serves you right, you cold-hearted bastard!_

She watched curiously as his other hand barely reached in to rub off the blood before removing both. _What?_

As soon as it came back up, most of the blood had been removed already and the wound, from what she could tell, was almost completely healed, bearing only a small gash of pink flesh with a two inch radius of scorched skin.

_I can't believe it! He's healed that much?_

Before he could see her anger, she turned her back to him, seething in slight privacy.

Sesshomaru didn't have to see it to know it was there, the problem was that he didn't want her to lose that rage, to keep it burning so that she would continue to put up a good fight.

"Hmph… Maybe if you actually get stronger your enemies won't be able to heal themselves so easily," he mocked her casually as he came back up to a stand.

Her claws twitched.

"Maybe next time I'll sever your veins."

"Let's just hope you can still put up a decent fight,"

"Hey Sesshomaru," she turned back to him with a burning glare: "Fuck you."

In a brilliant flash, Sesshomaru rushed straight for her, somehow managing to scoop the feline up by her neck, raising her off her feet before slamming her into yet another tree, his fingers cutting off her breath, further bruising her neck.

Unlike last time, however, Lenezma showed no fear at any point, not even when he picked her up off her feet and collided her frail body with the tree, never flinching. Also different was her bodily reaction: still she remained calm in his grip despite the flaring loath in her sapphires, but to the point that she didn't even fight back, not even digging her claws into his wrist like before.

Sesshomaru had been pleased by her reactions of pain and fear last time, but the lack thereof only intensified his growing rage. And then, just to piss him off even more, she smirked cockily:

"What's wrong? Why aren't you using your right hand?"

Of all the things that she could have possibly realized - like her stupidity in antagonizing the white devil - the first thing she noticed was Sesshomaru's use of his undamaged arm.

His claws tightened, pinching her flesh, drawing trace amounts of blood, but she continued to push her luck, tempting him further:

"Why are you hesitating?" she mocked his earlier words. "Why don't you do it? You could end everything right now. Go ahead – kill me. I dare you…!"

His fingers continued to twitch, desiring to finish the job just as she so fervently coaxed him, seriously considering the end of her pathetic existence…

But a sound distracted both of them, and they simply sat in their current predicaments in silence for the next minute, glaring intently into the other's eyes before five pairs of eyes fell upon them in complete bewilderment.

Long before the dragon even touched ground the two demons heard Ah-Un coming, bearing the three munchkins on his back. Having sighted the two from above after another trip out into the forest, they decided to stop by and check in on them, hoping to possibly see the two in action. But when Ah-Un landed and the three approached them, they quickly stopped in shock at the sight before them, dumbfounded by Sesshomaru's death grip on the lame Lenezma.

"Oh my, er, what's going on…?" Jaken fumbled with his words as he gaped, actually a little surprised by what he was seeing. Rin and Kikka just stared helplessly as Sesshomaru refused to release his victim…

"Uh, Leny…?" Kikka called wearily, a trembling notion in her voice, unable to tear her eyes away from the grisly scene, seeing the old blood on her sleeves and collar.

"It's okay, Kikka, I'm fine," Lenezma replied quite easily from the tree despite the pinch on her esophagus; glancing over as best she could, Len smiled faintly to back up her claim. "Sesshomaru was just showing me an effective way to subdue my enemies… Isn't that right?" she glared back at him almost triumphantly, but not cockily.

Sesshomaru only stared for several more seconds, seeing only the defiance in her eyes as she lied through her teeth to her sister, protecting them even while in such a distressing quandary.

"Right."

His hand opened and Lenezma slid down the trunk slowly, not once removing her eyes from his, taking in her breaths softly to keep from worrying the girls any more.

As his hand dropped back to his side, he glanced quickly over at the relieved girls before returning to Len's glare. "That'll be enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow," he warned her idly before turning to leave, disappearing into the dense trees…

Lenezma watched him darkly as a hand massaged her neck gently, turning away only when Kikka and Rin came to her side in which time she easily smiled, greeting the girls fondly.

"That was cool! Is that what he's been teaching you all this time?"

"Well, not exactly. That was kind of a quick, on-the-side lesson. Usually our progress is a lot more constructive…"

The girls gaped in awe, falling for every word she fed them as she played off that little hate-fest of theirs, but she could tell Jaken was not fooled. Whereas the girls may still be a little curious, the imp didn't believe a word she said, his eyes narrowed at the feline. And then he made a move to prove it:

"Rin, Kikka, why don't you take Ah-Un into the field for a bit, I'd like to have a word with Lenezma,"

Len eyed the imp curiously before the girls nodded giddily, running back to the dragon who followed them rather excitedly into the open fields. Soon only the two of them remained at the brook, Len's eyes quickly matching Jaken's narrowed gaze.

"Yes?" she called innocently.

"You may be able to fool the girls, but I'm not as gullible – I know Lord Sesshomaru better than anyone else when it comes to fighting, and that attack was a signature move. He's killed and tortured hundreds of demons and humans alike in such a manner, so don't even begin to think that I'd fall for a demonstration excuse."

Lenezma was impressed, but only for a second or two. "Hmph, so what? What's your point?"

"My point is, I don't think you truly realize just how powerful Lord Sesshomaru really is! He is one of the strongest demons in all the lands – none can compare to his power!

"His energy alone overcomes nearly every foe he is pitted against; his strength and abilities overwhelm the strongest demon slayers, falling at his feet in defeat! Scores of militarists have met their ends at his hand! Armies have fallen to his power!

"Do you get what I'm trying to tell you? Sesshomaru is untouchable! It doesn't matter what you do, he will always come back ten-fold! I've seen stone warriors from another world _bow_ to him!"

As Jaken rambled endlessly, Lenezma couldn't help but feel impressed by the – she was sure to be exaggerated – list of accomplishments. What was more, she even felt a lingering sense of pride as his apprentice…

"_Now_ do you get it? He is one of the greatest demons of all time and you are the first and only living being to train under him – be respectful and thankful that he should even take a weak half-breed like you under his wing!" Jaken rubbed it all in her face quite thoroughly.

But Lenezma reacted sourly to his discriminations, turning a look of consideration into an ugly scowl; "It's that kind of attitude that leads us to that same predicament. Why is it that everyone finds it so necessary to point out the inferiority in half-demons? Our weaknesses? Trust me when I say we don't need reminding!

"I know damned well that I don't compare to Sesshomaru in any way, but I shouldn't have to be reminded of it every waking moment! That's why I'm out here putting up with his overbearing ego, to get stronger and hopefully prove him wrong some day! But until then, why don't all of you just shut the hell up about my human heritage? Believe it or not, I hate my relationship to that filthy woman more than anyone else! So just drop it!"

Jaken merely stared in shock as she talked down on him so powerfully, feeling the rage in her swell the air with growing heat. Stunned by her words, he could only watch in awe as she strode past him swiftly, a dark hatred lingering in the air.

_That woman… I can't put my finger on it, but something is different about her compared to most other half-breeds, I'm sure of it… _

With a nervous gulp, Jaken followed her without a word, heading toward the field where Ah-Un and the girls waited…

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru remained unmoving.

As soon as he'd left them, he found an out-of-sight place to loiter while they all talked, listening to every word exchanged, all of Jaken's boasts, Lenezma's defense…

He sighed heavily with closed eyes, considering everything spoken… He took a few steps to leave, feeling this to be a good time to just go off and think, possibly killing a few things as he went.

Twin screams split the air, setting off sirens in his head.

In a blazing white flash, Sesshomaru rushed back through the trees and over the brook, leaping onto the scene in just seconds, all for nothing.

As soon as he cleared the trees, catching sight of the two three-eyed wolves that raced in for the kill, Rin and Kikka cowered near the two-headed dragon whose bridle prevented them from attacking. Just before he could make a move, a voice cried out…

"Cover your eyes!" Lenezma yelled as she ran past the human girls, just barely grazing them with gentle fingers as she came to stand between them and the demons. Comforted by her words and touch, Kikka and Rin did as they were told, shutting their eyes and turning away just as Len's claws swept through the air, currents of energy slashes emitting from her claws, hurtling right at the wolves.

A quick yelp burst as the wolves were cut down on the spot; not only were the girls spared the gruesome scene, but Lenezma turned to them just in time to cover their ears as much as possible, somehow able to save them from even the slightest notion of pain and death.

After a second or two, Lenezma released them and met their innocent, trembling eyes with her own, warm sapphires.

"It's okay, they can't hurt you any more… Now come on, let's get back to the house – I'm in the mood for a few games of Issen!"

Wearily, both girls nodded, warmed by her words but still a little shaken up. With Len's hands at their backs, leading them on, both became more and more comforted by her presence.

"Come on, Jaken!" Len called as they reached Ah-Un, realizing the imp was still left in shock near the trees.

As all gathered and clambered aboard the dragon's back, only Lenezma's eyes fell upon the white demon. She did not glare out of spite or smirk mockingly at him, just simply stared…

Sesshomaru watched the dragon rise above the trees and slowly disappear beyond the canopy, heading easily back to the mansion without a care in the world. Left alone once again, Sesshomaru glanced at the dead wolves before returning to the trees, left to think about everything that has occurred:

The fights, the words, the determination… all were considered as Sesshomaru's mind picked away at each memory.

_She is strong and pure at heart… Perhaps her greatest strength… Good._ He continued onwards, reminding himself of how most half-demons behave and react. But no matter what he was thinking, his mind almost always brought him back to Lenezma, back to that glare, that defiant spark in her eyes that seemed to stand out above all…

_Perhaps I'm rubbing off on her too much…_

* * *

This has got to be one of my favorite chapters, honestly, all because of that one line, that one moment where Len glances back at him and just flat out says "Hey Sesshomaru, fuck you." I love it ^_^


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

For the next few weeks, Sesshomaru continued to train her, teaching her to fight and use her abilities at will. When he felt she was ready, he put their training to the test and took her on a patrol over the lands.

With her teacher at her side, guiding and teaching her about the many signs all around her, Lenezma grew confident in her senses and abilities, finally given the chance to attack hostile demons and destroy them with little difficulty.

Amidst her triumphant excitement, rather cleverly, Sesshomaru nodded his approval: "How does it feel to finally strike your opponent?"

"It feels great!" she squealed in delight. "At least now I know what to do when I hit them," she added just as shrewdly.

Lenezma, as a student, only continued to get better and stronger with every patrol Sesshomaru led her on, observing her reactions and how fast she recognized a demon's presence – and of course how proficiently she disposed of the creatures. In fact, out in the fields, Lenezma was turning into Sesshomaru's little puppet: she rarely questioned him or his orders, no longer afraid to do what he asked of her.

Her progress, he almost hated to admit, was astounding. To have come so far in such a short time seemed unreal even by his standards. His discrimination towards half-breeds only enhanced the slight admiration he had regrettably formed for her.

Through their many days together, Sesshomaru began putting more and more of the picture together as time went on.

She'd informed him of her past, what happened with her mother and how she and Kikka ended up at that brothel before winding up under his supervision - it was still hard for him to believe that she was able to put up a human façade for all those years, especially with that pride of hers.

He'd turned her into a natural killer through all his efforts, and yet once back in the house, she was almost like a different person; she was back to her old cleaning and cooking ways, reverting back to her mother-like state whenever the girls were around. She was kind and friendly, even towards him half the time, but she was one hell of a pain in the ass when she was pissed.

She also didn't react well to his ego, which he himself knew was pretty big. But what could he do about it? That was who he was. If he made a comment that sounded heartless, she'd give him hell about it until something would change the subject.

Once, he made a comment about an animal - can't remember what kind, which just about shows how attentive he really was – and he thought she'd bite his head off for it.

"I can't believe you just said that! That's horrible!" Sesshomaru was silent. "There's not one shred of a heart in that body of yours, is there? All you have is a brain and a mouth that always seems to say the wrong things! Every time I start to believe you're not as ignorant as you let on, I'm proven otherwise!"

Training ended for that day and she didn't speak to him until the next day – and it was early in the morning when he'd made the comment. Surprisingly though, every time she had ever talked to him like that, he found himself uncaring; she could insult him and all he'd do is tell her what to do next.

All he could conclude was that he admired her for her bravery to do so. Seriously, how many people truly mouthed off to him? How many people did so when they were living in his own home?

Although, he had to admit, there were quite a few times when he had to force himself from leaving Kikka an only child.

But as far as the training went, Sesshomaru truly began to think of her as an apprentice, teaching her just about everything he knew about demons of all kinds. It allowed him to reflect on how much he really knew. If only there was a way he could teach her more about the demons in the outside world…

On Lenezma's side of the spectrum, she had a lot less to work with.

Sesshomaru was the same as ever: ruthless, cold hearted, stubborn, and discriminatory to her and her alone (overhearing her and Jaken apparently hadn't changed him). Heck, Jaken didn't even receive as much crap as she did, and of course the girls only saw his best side.

In an odd way, she felt she had gotten to know him a little, despite the fact he never shared anything with her – the only real information she ever got was from Jaken who usually only bragged to her at the worst of times. Questioning his personal life was practically worthless for silence was always his answer, but simply by being around him for so long she felt like she was learning. She could not vocalize what it was that she learned, but she sensed much of his character simply by being near, watching and listening to what few words he would spare.

And for the most part, she actually felt that he was rather benign with her, at least as of late anyway. Whenever advising or trying to explain something to her, he usually did so in a very calm and almost pleasant way. Even the way he taught her to slaughter demons mercilessly was done in a serene, relaxing way, which, in the beginning, she found both very amusing and scary.

She often wondered how exactly Sesshomaru felt about all of this, about training her day in and day out with no form of payment in his favor. With all the training she'd been receiving, all she could come up with was that by growing stronger and helping Sesshomaru destroy local demons, she not only helped keep the lands (and the girls) safe, but it also gave her a place under his roof – she was no longer the key needed to keep Kikka around for Rin.

Over all, no, she really hadn't learned too much about the dog demon, but her study on him would continue, someday uncovering the secrets behind those blank stares and monotone voice.

She could always find the regal side in him at just about everything he did, but always had that deathly side to him as well. She found out that while he was the _aristocratic assassin_, he had an ego to go along with it. He was strict, but (somewhat) kind; ruthless, but generous. It was like he had split personalities, a good side and an evil side, but both sides had united and created this man, this demon… How did such a creature come into existence?

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"Where arrrre youuuuuu?" Len grinned as she peaked around one of the many corners of the lower floor, gazing down an empty hallway, hearing the childish laughter of Rin and Kikka as they scampered from room to room, hiding from Big Sister Leny.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…!" she called playfully, tiptoeing with great exaggeration down the faintly lit hallway. Her ears twitched at several nearby noises, attracting all her senses to the next room on the left.

She sniffed the air quietly, following their scents, leading her directly to said room.

"Ha!" she flung the door open, leaning in from the doorway, stopping instantly.

The room was pitch black and no scent of either girl lingered.

_What is this room?_ She wondered as she glanced around, her feline eyes adjusting to the darkness almost instantly. She glanced around, double-checking the presence of Rin and Kikka, but finding no sight of them, only shelves upon shelves all around the walls and several even lined up in the center.

Curious, she entered the room in order to get a closer look at her find, realizing very quickly that this was a library of some sort, the shelves thickly stocked with scrolls of various size and thickness.

She wandered through in slight awe, never before seeing so many pieces and collections of information all in one place like this before. And, as if to class the place up, there were several hanging wall scrolls in between the shelves, all very artistic and beautiful.

Her ear twitched to sounds of laughter once again, hearing the girls somewhere nearby, bringing her back to reality.

Very slowly she backed out of the room, turning just in time to be distracted by one of the larger paintings near the door.

Len gaped over its beauty, struck speechless by the magnificent strokes of the brush and the fine details put into the piece…

With a hard blink, Lenezma shook herself free of the painting's splendor and left the room, closing the door gently behind her before running off to catch the girls and resume their game…

But despite several efforts, Lenezma's mind kept returning to that room, that painting, as the day went on. She asked Rin about it, who confirmed the fact that it was a library, but admitted that she'd only been in there once a long time ago when she was first brought here – and lost.

"I don't know how to read though, so I never had any reason to go back in there," she explained easily.

But after a night of restlessness, curiosity led the feline right back to the same door the next morning, hoping to get a better look at some of the things in there, to ease her intense interest at the least before she would have to meet Sesshomaru out in the fields.

But as she approached the door, she found that someone had beaten her to it: light was seen from underneath the door, the crackle of the fire easily heard with her sensitive ears. Who was in there? Jaken or Sesshomaru?

Unwilling to let it be, however, she approached the door bravely – she wanted to see the room again.

She raised her hand to knock gently on the door, just to inform the inhabitant of her presence, but hesitated as a deep voice summoned her in: Sesshomaru.

Very casually, she slipped inside the room, trying to focus her eyes on him rather than their surroundings.

"Uh, hi…" she started off, losing some of her cool rather hastily. "What are you doing in here?"

Sesshomaru stared blankly despite the 'duh' that ran through his head. He was sitting beside a table where several scrolls were unraveled, rows of text visible.

"Uh, right… sorry…"

"Why are you here?" he asked rather bluntly, sensing her anxiety clearly.

"Er… I kind of stumbled upon this room earlier," she started, figuring she'd be honest with him. "I just wanted to come look at it again…"

"What for?"

"I've never seen so many scrolls in one place like this before, it intrigued me…" In Len's mind, an old memory sprung up, one that often prevented her from ever using the word 'intrigue'. She shook it off. "And the wall scrolls are just beautiful…" she commented, her eyes wandering over to the same one that had caught her attention earlier.

Sesshomaru noticed instantly.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just interested in things I can't understand…" she faded as she turned back to him, slightly bashful at this point that she was even there trying to explain such things to Sesshomaru, a guy who couldn't possibly understand her feelings.

"You can't read."

Len's eyes widened, blinking quickly with a faint smile and chuckle. "Am I that easy to figure out?

"No, Kikka and I can't read or write… There's a few symbols we know, but very few. No one ever felt it necessary that we learn, I guess."

"If you were slaves, then no, it wouldn't be."

Her eyes deepened as he spoke, a little angered by the reminder despite the truth behind it.

"So," she changed the subject hastily, "may I ask what you're reading?"

"Nothing, just double-checking something."

"Oh… well, then, you wouldn't mind answering me one more question, would you?" she asked with a faint sense of hope in her eyes as she smiled casually down at him. "I was wondering about that painting over there…" she faded quickly as Sesshomaru pushed himself up to a stand, striding right past her without a single word.

She watched him in shock, wondering why he was leaving in the middle of her sentence.

"Come; today you'll start something new."

_Something new?_ She wondered curiously. With one last, quick glance at the painting, she followed him out, deciding to drop the subject for now only because she knew he would still refuse to answer her…

As the door shut softly, the small, dying fire glowed beautifully against the wall scroll, the woman's yellow-green eyes shined radiantly…

Up on a tall hillside, nothing around but a few trees, Sesshomaru and Len stood.

"So what's this new thing you mentioned?" she asked as they stopped at the top, Sesshomaru not usually leading her out here, preferring to be surrounded by trees.

"We're going to bring that power of yours out."

"Hmm?" Len gazed curiously, his answer catching her off guard.

"It's important that you learn to use your innate powers or you won't stand a chance against demons like the shadows.

"Now, I ask you again, are you sure you can use fire?"

"Yes, I used it as a child."

"But you need it now."

"But, I don't know how! I told you I don't remember!"

"You haven't even tried."

Len and Sesshomaru exchanged glances for a moment before Len sighed and turned from him slightly, dropping to sit cross-legged upon the grass. She held her hand up in a fist and stared hard at it, focusing. She concentrated all her energy into forming a fireball, but nothing happened.

"Use your will power to manipulate that fire inside of you. Let it form in your hand like a ball,"

"I'm trying…" she mumbled through grit teeth, her muscles clenched in anticipation.

"Harder! Feel the flames running through your blood, through your very veins!"

"I'm concentrating as hard as I can!" she yelled at him. She closed her eyes tightly, searching for the hidden well of power within her, calling to the flames.

She tried as he said, searching for the flames flowing through her veins… Yes… she could feel them… They were like tiny candles randomly placed throughout her arm…

She pulled all her strength together, trying to flex her arms, move individual muscles, anything she could to try and activate them.

Sesshomaru could tell she was starting to get it. He could plainly see her testing the flames, trying to get them to work.

"Put some feeling into it."

"What do you mean feeling?" she asked, trying not to lose her concentration.

"It should give you a jump start. You must let your body know how badly you need the flames, and it shall react,"

She decided to try it, but… couldn't seem to get it. She felt the flames flicker at her tampering, but she didn't know how to get them flaring. She tried using the same feelings she'd used when first learning to properly scratch, but it didn't seem to work. She began begging her body to do this for her, but nothing good came of it.

Lenezma was suddenly jerked from her concentration, shocked when a hand grabbed her wrist forcefully.

"What are you doing?" she yelled at Sesshomaru, whose claws began digging into her skin. Sesshomaru remained silent, squeezing harder.

"Stop it…" she grabbed his wrist, trying to remove it. She glared up into his transfixed eyes, searching for a reason. "Ahh!" she gasped painfully, the agony building within her arm, forcing her eyes to clasp shut.

A small flare up. His grip tightened; more flickering. Claws breaking her flesh like butter.

"Stop it…!" she cried again.

Flames slowly building. Her fingers growing numb, the blood draining from her fingertips and seeping from the holes Sesshomaru's claws were burrowing into her.

"STOP IT!" she screamed.

Flames shot up from her skin, encircling his hand, the flames much more intense where her blood flowed.

Sesshomaru had let go the instant he saw the flames erupt, but his fingers did manage to get scorched from her blood. He checked his hand over, healing the burn marks before looking back at Len.

She stared at her bloody wrist in awe, the flames encircling her arm like a snake, not harming her in anyway. She held her palm up and watched the flaming blood trickle down, being drawn towards the snake like the embodiment of fire.

_That's what I meant by putting your feelings into it._

Sesshomaru watched as the flaming serpent continued to circle her arm. She got to her feet carefully, not wanting the serpent to die.

"Now, experiment with the flames. Try to control it to do your bidding…" Sesshomaru ordered her.

She swallowed hard and did so. She brought both of her hands together to form a cup, and the snake slithered up to the cup where it sat in a ball of fire. She closed her eyes and relaxed, feeling the fire creep back into her skin, returning to its source. As it did, all at once she felt she had somehow learned the key, the trigger to its power.

She opened her eyes and looked up at Sesshomaru who only stared back at her with wondrous eyes.

An excited, beautiful smile had begun to form on her face when it suddenly turned cold and sour. "You bastard!"

She winced horribly as the pain returned, her blood, no longer aflame like the snake, normal and flowing from the punctures in her wrist.

A string of curses ran through Lenezma's mind as she grabbed her wound with her good hand, attempting to help stop the flow as it seeped between her fingers.

Lenezma wished desperately to yell what she was thinking but was too proud of her accomplishment to risk her life. _Sesshomaru, you're such an ass!_

"Go back and clean up. We're done for the day."

Lenezma stared blankly. "We're done?"

Sesshomaru did not repeat himself, staring down at her with a superior gaze. Lenezma's glare returned as she bowed softly to him before turning to run back to the mansion.

_That's unusual… I could lose an entire limb and he'd make me keep training. I wonder what got into him? There's no way he's growing soft!_

Lenezma pushed it from her mind as she continued her trek home, the blood finally stopping but her hands were caked in the red ooze, splatters on her kimono here and there.

Sesshomaru turned and began heading back towards the trees, deciding to patrol. He grimaced as his chest quaked, nearly growling at himself for the strange twinges that arose, his heart beating with a strange, vigorous sensation…

When Lenezma reached the mansion, she immediately washed her arms and changed clothing, glaring at the four marks left by Sesshomaru's claws. They lingered upon her wrist for the rest of the day… and three days later.

Lenezma did not see the Lord for all three days, just missing him every time she would realize he was home. But Len was not left to do nothing: she practiced playing with her newfound powers during her free time while undergoing a whole new challenge: learning to read and write.

The same night after Len had regained the ability to call upon her flames, Jaken gathered all three females in the kitchen with parchment and pens, informing them rather bluntly that he would teach them today's linguistics.

_Could Sesshomaru have actually ordered Jaken to do this for us? I explained to him that Kikka and I were illiterate, and I assume he knew Rin to be in the same boat… It's hard to believe he's actually doing all of this for us…_

For the next said three days, most of their time went into learning basic kanji, along with one afternoon of collecting more herbs – Len was excited about that. But throughout that entire time, she found it incredibly odd that she did not run into Sesshomaru at all… at least, not until the fourth day when they met near the same tall hillside – unintentionally of course.

Lenezma was dressed in one of her nicer, long kimonos, sitting peacefully against a large oak, watching the skies. She turned and smiled gently as Sesshomaru approached from behind.

"Hey there… It's been awhile."

He made no response as he stood beside her, staring down curiously. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was practicing,"

Sesshomaru grunted softly, showing his disbelief as he looked away from her.

"Hey! I was! I've been practicing with my fires!" she turned from Sesshomaru and gazed up at the rest of the skies.

"Show me then,"

"Fine!"

Lenezma looked straight ahead before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath to relax, concentrating…

His eyes fixed on her strangely as a red aura surrounded her body. Fire began abruptly bursting from Lenezma's chest - a body of flames erupted, darting into the air like a ball of fire.

Sesshomaru stared intently upon the fireball, watching as it began to take a peculiar form.

Where before it moved like a serpent, it began spreading itself in eight separate directions. The four bottom pillars of flame began spreading, transforming into what looked like legs, the tips even separating into four individual claws.

Two opposing pillars seemed to take the same form until one end eventually grew a head with a long snout and two blazing yellow eyes while the other end appeared to be a long, pointy tail.

Finally, the two upon the back of the fiery beast spread out into large, thin wings.

The creature bellowed hoarsely, not intending to be loud but making his presence known. He opened his wings wide before arching in the air, swooping back down to the ground, landing roughly before them.

It was undoubtedly a dragon.

The head came no higher than Sesshomaru's waist, his actual body just above his knees, but his wings, when fully spread, were _at least_ the same length as Sesshomaru's height.

The dragon gazed up at Sesshomaru strangely, its bottom jaw hanging slightly, revealing a row of magma 'teeth', before trotting closer towards Lenezma.

"Do you like him?" Len asked as the dragon approached her, stretching his neck for Lenezma to pet him. Sesshomaru only observed…

_That dragon… It's possible for her to manipulate the fire's shape, but how was it able to roar like that? Or even look at me with distrustful eyes…?_

"At least you've improved a little," he commented half-heartedly.

"Sort of," she replied honestly. "I still have to concentrate, but I'm starting to get the hang of it."

Sesshomaru only stared at the fiery beast, which seemed to behave like a pet dog towards its master, desiring to be touched and praised.

"I want you to practice with it some more. Make sure you have it under complete control,"

Len was ready to object but stopped herself. She silently stood instead, walking out into the open field, the dragon bounding after her just like a dog as well.

Lenezma stopped in an open space, watching as Sesshomaru settled beneath her tree comfortably, watching over her and what she did to assure nothing happened.

She looked down at her strange friend and smiled, "Go on!"

Without a second thought, the dragon spread his wings and leaped into the air. It did a few tricks of its own before gazing down at his master, waiting for her commands.

She practiced with it, using her hands at first, having it perform circles and back flips and nosedives, often letting it just enjoy himself.

Sesshomaru watched as Lenezma quickly advanced from hand to eye control, deciding its next movements by looking around, telepathically telling it what to do. It was truly amazing for someone as she to progress so quickly with such a creature. _Especially if that dragon has as much free will as I suspect _Sesshomaru pondered amidst his inspection.

As she practiced, she began to wander off in her thoughts as well.

_This is wonderful… controlling this dragon, completely made of fire. I hope I can make other creations, as well. I just wish I hadn't learned to bring it out by having Sesshomaru impale my arm!_

_It figures that big oof would do something like that just to teach me a process which probably needed more time to fully understand._

Her eyes wandered down to her left arm. Curious, she lifted the sleeve just enough to find the place where he grabbed her, his imprints still unhealed.

_So they are still there… Great… A memento to remember both Sesshomaru and this event by… That's unfair: how come he was able to scar me with such little penetration while my fingers were knuckle deep and still didn't leave a mark? _

She glanced over at where he sat, his eyes following the dragon as it flew overhead, forming a small act of vengeance in her head. _Hmm…_

Sesshomaru watched as Lenezma raised her hands to it again before thrusting them down rapidly. He looked up to find the dragon performing a nose-dive yet again, but this time it kept falling. It drew near to the ground, curving towards him the closer it got.

It was about two feet off the ground before he began flying straight again, but he was heading directly for Sesshomaru, his speed increasing.

But Sesshomaru never budged. He figured this was some joke of hers, but became more doubtful as its mouth opened wide, big enough to swallow his head. If he were to move, it was too late, even for Sesshomaru.

His eyes shot wide as the muzzle came within inches of his head when the flames suddenly exploded, the fire dying away in mid air, right in front of his face.

He looked over at Len as she stood there laughing uncontrollably. Then, as fast as he could, he got to his feet and rushed her.

She stopped laughing and saw him rise, "Oh…!" she exclaimed, not having time to finish her expression of shock. She began running as fast as she could, Sesshomaru right behind her.

Len couldn't help but laugh the whole time he chased her, but every time she looked back he wasn't so cheerful – that or his usual mask just let on the impression. Even after all this time Lenezma was still unsure whether or not she could accurately read his blank face.

Through trees and bushes, jumping over rivers and creeks as they passed them, the two ran on and on. All her training was really working out for her, becoming quite handy, too.

She only managed to stay a little ahead of him, even in her long kimono, but she knew he wasn't giving it his all; if he really wanted to catch her, he would have done so by now.

It was nearly a mile from the hills before Sesshomaru decided to end this and dove at her, knocking her flat to the ground, still laughing.

He crawled up alongside her body on his hands and knees, leaning on his left arm that held him up from the other side of her body. He could hear her clearly still deep in laughter. She tried rolling over onto her back, stopping when she ran into his arm, leaving her just slanted.

She laughed and laughed, failing to calm herself. She looked up into his golden eyes, his head blocking the sun from blinding her. It wasn't until after Sesshomaru shook his head did she start to calm herself, his action seeming to mock Lenezma, for once causing her to laugh more, but she quickly recovered.

But then her smile faded as she watched Sesshomaru's face return to its usual emotionless mask… or was it? She stared up at him, curious as to what caused him to look down at her so.

He almost looked surprised, his mouth gaping just slightly while his eyes… there was a strange, almost dreamy look in his eyes as they focused on her.

She watched in silence as he overcame this odd expression, his normal look returning. He rolled away from her, sitting with his back turned to her oddly.

Lenezma pushed herself up and stared at him for a moment, curious of his strange behavior. Was something wrong?

She watched as Sesshomaru jumped back up onto his feet and took a few steps away from her. "Continue working with your dragon and try to come up with some new techniques as well. The more you work with it the easier it'll come. I'll leave you to your training…"

Len watched silently as Sesshomaru strolled away from her, slipping into the thick forest where he disappeared rather quickly. She continued to gaze after him with confusion; had she just missed something? "Sesshomaru…?"

His fist slammed into the thick base of a tree as the other clung to a branch just above his head. He growled low in his throat, the words "Damn it" constantly running through his mind.

He calmed his growl but continued to scowl as his fist returned to clasp onto his shirt, over the center of his chest.

_Why did I…? What made me…?_

The same, powerful sensation as before was surging through him, attacking his chest as the mysterious twinges returned to him, demanding their way, but Sesshomaru fought the urges off.

Though he managed to settle these unusual thoughts and emotions, continuing on his way, there were still a few times he was forced to rest at another tree and grab at his chest.

What could be affecting _Sesshomaru_ enough that would involuntarily reveal some form of weakness?

Lenezma did not see Sesshomaru for another week, and even then it came at a most unusual time.

Having loitered around the mansion most of the day, Lenezma grabbed a change of clothes before heading to the bathhouse, hoping to clean up before going to bed. It was well into the night, the girls having already retired to their rooms.

As she passed Sesshomaru's room, she could sense him, but doubted he was inside. Ever since the fields, she never laid eyes on Sesshomaru even once; she could sense him almost everywhere, even when she was absolutely positive he was inside a certain room, but every time she investigated, the demon lord wasn't to be found.

She rounded the last corner, surprised to find the lights were on. Was someone inside? _Maybe Jaken finally decided to take a bath…_

She was only a yard or so from the door when it suddenly opened, Sesshomaru standing in the doorway, turning his gaze towards her as soon as he realized she was there.

Len stared a moment with a dumb look upon her face. "Whoa… I didn't know you took baths!"

Sesshomaru grumbled to himself as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"No, don't take it the wrong way. You've always smelled decently, I've just… never seen you at the bathhouse."

He continued to stare as she smiled innocently, waiting patiently for him to move and allow her to utilize the bath as well. He side stepped, slowly treading away from the door. As Lenezma reached the doorway, Sesshomaru looked back and called to her:

"We'll resume your training tomorrow. Be sure to get there on time,"

"Oh, okay," she nodded, sparing one last, half smile before entering the bath, closing the door behind her.

Len and Sesshomaru always met at the same spot around the same time for her training, since it was conveniently surrounded by open fields, dense forestry, nearby cliffs, and a river, providing plenty of obstacles.

Sesshomaru strolled away from the bath easily, heading inside towards the large fire room, the place he and Lenezma had their first real "talk" after she arrived.

He stood before the blazing fire the same as then, crossing his arms as he gazed down into its majestic beauty, ignoring the heat it produced as a result of his closeness.

He continued to stare for a few minutes, silent, unmoving, when a sudden low rumble began to crawl up his throat. His growl grew deep just before he clenched his teeth, ridding himself of his growl as his gaze shrank, his eyes now glaring into the fire.

His fists tightened as a strange rage within him began to build up.

The fire wavered.

Sesshomaru's hand grabbed at his chest, gripping his shirt roughly to keep from clawing his own chest. The same pains as before were returning to torment him, toying with his heart as his eyes kept contact with the fire, his breath intensifying.

Again the flames flickered greatly for a moment. Sesshomaru's eyes opened wide as he continued to stare, the great fire dancing before him with an illusion…

It lasted only for a few seconds, but he was positive he'd seen it clearly, a figure of sorts waltzing amidst the flames.

The dance was strange and peculiar, the pillar of fire still trying to attain its intended form while flicking around exotically.

Just what was this? Sesshomaru continued to stare, the needles in his chest less severe as he focused more on the ballet of flames. Sesshomaru caught his breath, his eyes widening even more…

The 'body' twirled, its arms waving wildly above and around its body, the feet bouncing everywhere while managing to remain in one singular space; the torso itself seemed to be constantly on the move. Its flailing arms and quick feet only growing more chaotic with an extreme air of enchantment, moving like a dancing gypsy in a glory of fire… untouched by defiled hands…

With the bat of an eye, the dancing, flaming gypsy dispersed in an unusual shape, breaking up to flow normally once again as if nothing had ever happened. And with the blink following, a stronger spasm of agony attacked his chest, causing him to gruff as he fought to keep his hands from tearing his own heart out.

It wasn't for another minute before the pain began to subside, only small twinges arising now and then.

Sesshomaru growled at himself yet again.

_Damn… What is this? I stayed distant and yet it still affects me… I agreed for tomorrow in hopes that it might help overcome these sensations, but…_

The pain vanished almost instantly, Sesshomaru's attention turning towards approaching feet. He stood tall, his arms returning to their crossed positions as his eyes fixed on the opposite wall.

Little Rin poked her head around the door, peering inside timidly as she laid eyes on his large stature before the burning glow.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru turned to place one eye upon the small girl as she entered the room softly, deciding to approach only after Sesshomaru acknowledged her presence.

"Why aren't you in bed?" he asked softly. His tone was calm and patient towards her, speaking so gently you could compare it to a concerned mother asking her sick child if they were feeling any better.

"Well, Kikka's asleep, but I'm not very tired. I… I wanted to ask you something!" she spoke up a little, fighting the shyness she felt. She normally wasn't so hesitant, especially around Sesshomaru.

He waited patiently for her to ask away.

"Um, I was wondering… are Kikka and Lenezma going to stay with us?" Rin asked softly, barely giving Sesshomaru time to respond before continuing, "Because I really like them and I just… wanted to know if they were going to continue to stay with us even after Lenezma's training is done."

Sesshomaru turned, mostly facing her now with both golden eyes resting tranquilly upon her. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Rin, still surprisingly bashful though better, firmly nodded once.

Sesshomaru continued to stare at her for a moment before turning back to the fire, but not crossing his arms this time. He gazed into the red and yellow phenomena before him, subconsciously searching for the gypsy.

"They can stay as long as they wish."

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin smiled brightly, excited over her master's words. After another moment passed, she looked up at him again, her atmosphere having returned to normal. "And am _I_ allowed to, as well?"

Sesshomaru made neither motion nor comment, continuing to stare off.

Rin smiled, giggling, assuming this as one of his yeses as she often does when he does not respond or talk to her.

Quietly, Rin slipped down onto one of the many large pillows, sitting on her knees as she, too, began to gaze into the fire… and at Sesshomaru as well, of course.

"It's late, Rin," he called softly yet again, not necessarily telling her to go to bed, merely reminding her before she fell asleep.

"I'm okay, I just want to sit in here for awhile,"

Sesshomaru made no objections as he grew lost in the beauty of the _normal_ fire, without illusions and gypsies…

After a time Sesshomaru turned, ready to head to his own chambers when he found Rin lying on the pillow, fast asleep. If he'd known how (metaphorically speaking) he would have rolled his eyes.

Lenezma exit the bathhouse, fully refreshed and ready for a good night's sleep, especially since she knew she'd be working out with Sesshomaru tomorrow. He'd probably test her fire powers again.

As Lenezma headed for the stairs leading to the bedrooms, she stopped quickly and hid behind the nearest corner silently.

She peered out softly, watching as Sesshomaru began to ascend the stairs with young Rin fast asleep in his arms. Len watched wondrously as he reached the top and disappeared from her view. She waited a moment, listening for Sesshomaru to enter his room before she entered the bedroom hall.

She slinked quietly down to Rin and Kikka's room where she inched the door open, peaking inside to find both girls sleeping peacefully, fully covered by their blankets. Lenezma smiled as she shut the door.

When she entered her own room, she sat on the bed for a moment before crawling beneath the covers.

She smiled greatly, experiencing one of the happiest emotions she'd felt since coming to the Western Plains, giggling at one last thought before lying down to sleep:

"That was so _CUTE_!"

* * *

More of my favorite moments:

The part where Lenezma starts to smile _beautifully _but ended up screaming "You bastard!" instead.  
And of course when she had her fire dragon blow up in his face and he jumps up to chase her down, just her "Oh shit!" expression makes me giggle. (Yes, my own writing makes me giggle!)


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten**

"You've been slacking off!" Sesshomaru criticized, disappointed in her for not keeping up in her physical training while trying to improve her elemental powers.

When Lenezma figured he'd have her work with her fires again, she was wrong. Instead, Sesshomaru approached her and quite bluntly told her they were doing the pinning exercise, a work out that required rendering their opponent helpless or immobile, a checkmate of sorts, and only claws and agility were allowed today.

Needless to say, Len was doing a horrible job trying to pin Sesshomaru. She never could - never has. She got really close once, but he pulled out of it in time to pin her instead. They were only going two pins today, but Sesshomaru had already managed to get her once.

When using this exercise, Sesshomaru would often spend the first few minutes keeping her on her toes, giving her few chances to attack him before he'd go on the defensive, allowing her several attempts to tackle him prior to switching back to offense, pinning her - often with little trouble.

Lenezma watched as Sesshomaru altered his tactics, shifting into second gear as he began to mostly avoid her attacks, hardly fighting back.

She rushed him, swiping rapidly, several air slashes flying around as she fought him, trying her damnedest just to land a single blow.

It wasn't long after did Sesshomaru kick it into third gear, intent on pinning her for the second time. Besides, he could easily tell she needed a break, she was panting heavier than usual.

Lenezma pushed herself as hard as she could, but found it hopeless as Sesshomaru forced her to the ground after having dodged a barrage of attacks.

Sesshomaru, hovering over her on all four, held her upper arms to the ground roughly, proclaiming his victory, celebrating it by mocking Lenezma, who still breathed heavily.

"You need to start practicing more on your own time, I'm not going to instruct you at any time of the day,"

"Yeah, yeah… But I don't think it was me slacking as much as you were trying to make this as difficult as you could," Len retorted, smirking up at him.

For a moment, Lenezma could have sworn she caught the same, dreamy expression in his eyes. He didn't stare down at her with as surprised a look, but his gaze suddenly made her feel uncomfortable.

Her apprehension grew when she felt his breathing pattern change. It was hard to tell, but Sesshomaru normally breathed through his nostrils with an intense softness, barely feasible. Yet for a moment, just his _pattern_ changed, an unusual quickness to it.

Lenezma cleared her throat and tried pulling herself out from beneath him, but found she was still held down by him. "Wanna let me up?" she asked casually, hoping he couldn't tell she'd noticed a difference in him.

Sesshomaru blinked hard for a short moment before leaning back on his knees, releasing Lenezma as he pushed himself up to his feet, Len sitting up calmly at his feet, resting there without looking up at him.

"Come," he called as he turned his back to her, "we'll rest at the river,"

Once there, Len sat at the shore, drinking her fill of water, rejuvenating her. Sesshomaru did not drink from the river nor rest in the grass as she did, relaxing.

She sat comfortably in the grass, gazing up at him a moment before deciding not to ask, returning her eyes to the scenery across the river; Sesshomaru stared off as well, neither making any comment.

After a few minutes, Sesshomaru decided to settle in the grass as well, not far from Len.

"So… Where have you been lately?" Len inquired, breaking the silence between them.

"… I've had business to attend to," he replied without looking at her.

"Really? I've sensed you around the house but you were never where I looked. So, what kind of business?"

Sesshomaru did not answer.

"So…" she spoke up yet again when another silence fell upon them. "Got anything to talk about?" she asked randomly, unable to find a topic on her own. But Sesshomaru did not answer her, grunting softly to show he had no desire to talk with her.

Len made the same "Hmph" response before falling backwards, lying in the grass easily, placing one hand behind her head, the other upon her stomach.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relaxing in the soft, green grass. Not long afterwards did Sesshomaru sense a change in _her_ breathing pattern, signifying she'd fallen asleep. He ignored her for a while, but found himself unable to think on another subject.

_What a nosy, loafer she is… Why does she feel the need to talk so much? Why… why do I actually feel like answering her half the time?_

A small spark ignited within his chest, the familiar tweaks of pain beginning to return to him, but soft for now.

_What is this feeling I keep getting? Is it really because of Lenezma?_

Several more thoughts followed, each leading to a reason he should not care for this woman as he did, and yet _I still get this way…_

Past images of Lenezma returned to him, each one doing something different from glaring to cooking to smiling. _Her smile…_ Another twinge of pain arose within his chest as the memory of a genuine smile she had expressed towards him flashed through his head.

His hand gently caressed the center of his torso, attempting to massage it to lessen the irritation.

And then, curiously, he slowly turned his eyes towards Lenezma, lying in the grass, basking in the sun ever comfortably. He tore his eyes away quickly, but found his eyes returning to her. No matter how often he forced them away, his gazes lasted longer and longer until finally Sesshomaru no longer fought it, staring at her as she slept easily beneath the light of the sun.

His mind was racing, different thoughts and feelings flowing through his head, each contradicting the other, all the while the knots in his chest grew.

Sesshomaru sighed deeply, his mind cleared, the pain in his chest nearly depleted. He blinked softly down at Lenezma as he began to move.

He began crawling, amazingly silent as his fingers slid through the blades of grass like snakes, his feet like those of a wolf. With an incredible silence about it, he made his way towards Lenezma, his own ears unable to pick up most of his movements.

He took a moment of great care to place one arm on her other side while keeping the rest on her right. He settled into a comfortable position above her, staring down serenely.

Another emotion ran through his chest, but not of pain like before. It felt like a wave of… of… Oh, who was he kidding? He had no idea what this feeling was, it never existed within him before, and it was only now that he stared at her did it arise.

His golden rods seemed to soften even more as he sighed noiselessly. _Just a taste… That's all I want: just a taste…_

Sesshomaru began to lower himself, making sure to avoid any touches or movements that might awaken her, leaving her staring eye-to-eye with Sesshomaru in such a predicament.

He lowered himself more and more, their noses apart by only several inches, but his senses became too drawn in on Lenezma, realizing a moment too late that some of his silky white hair slipped from his shoulder, grazing against Lenezma's cheek before resting on her arm. Had it not been for that subtle touch to the cheek, it would most likely have gone unnoticed by her arm.

Instead, Sesshomaru found himself staring into the large blue eyes of Lenezma, her shock quite easy to read as she stared back. He didn't doubt there was a visible trace of alarm in his own eyes.

Len couldn't move, couldn't think. She was suspended in time, her limbs immobile as if still asleep, her mouth gaping with her gasp of surprise.

Sesshomaru couldn't think; what was he to do? He'd been found out… Sure she would have awoken to his embrace, but he felt that would have been better to have to deal with than her eyes.

_No… I can't stop now. Not now… I'm so close…_ his thoughts wandered dreamily as his eyes began to change, transforming into the familiar, surreal golden rods she'd seen several times now.

He continued his descent, more of his silver hair gliding over his shoulders like smooth, streams of water.

She watched in silence as his body lowered over hers more and more, his head dropping closer to her own. Lenezma found herself unable to move even the slightest bit; even if she could, she didn't know where she'd go… or if she even wanted to.

Lenezma could feel her heart beat racing frantically as Sesshomaru grew closer. Time seemed to have come to a standstill, moving slower than… something really slow. All her senses were on high alert, specifically her senses of sight and touch. His soothing golden eyes closed in on her.

Sesshomaru stared down at Lenezma, the woman who has been living in his very own home, whom he had spent almost every day with, training for the past several weeks. But it was only until recently had she sparked an interest within him; until now that she was beneath him in such a way, did he find himself attracted… wanting.

It was a strange hunger that began to grow inside of him, a sensation he's never felt before, but he held it at bay, restraining it as he stared down at her… No, she was too beautiful to be overwhelmed by such… lustful urges.

He came closer and closer to her, her radiant cerulean eyes filled with anxiety, but slowly getting calmer. He was so close to her now, he could feel her nervous breath on his lips, her lips almost quivering as she breathed deeply.

Such features only deepened his desire to embrace her, but he held it off, wishing to hold onto this moment as long as possible.

Lenezma, like Sesshomaru, could feel his warm breath on her lips, a tingle running down her spine as his nose softly brushed against her own.

Sesshomaru was about to make the final half-inch, both sets of eyes on the verge of closing for the climax… but both of their senses reacted, his nerves pushing him back up, completely destroying their brief moment of intimacy.

His head swiftly turned to his right, staring at the forest line. Lenezma had also turned her head quickly at the sound of rustling leaves and breaking twigs quickly approaching. With how intense their moment was, it was a small miracle the both of them heard it coming.

Just then he saw them: two deer leaping through the forest hastily, breaking through the trees and dashing through the field in a frantic. Even Lenezma, whose sight was hindered by the tall blades of grass, could see them in their frenzy as they rushed through the trees.

The two of them watched as the two deer, one buck, one doe, skidded to a halt when they noticed the two demons lying in the grass, changing direction as quickly as possible to keep running. Their smells had reached both noses just before the deer attempted the turn, the doe sliding onto her side, having turned too quickly.

The male nudged her quickly, rearing at her to rush her to her feet and continue sprinting. Quickly following came the dirty, foul scent of devils, putting both demons on extra alert; it would explain the deer's panic.

Suddenly three, decent sized wolves burst through the trees after them, each bearing three eyes and two rows of fangs with quite mangled fur. As they ran after the standing doe and her mate, they took no notice to Sesshomaru or Len on the other side, at least not until the deer began running again.

The first two wolves also skidded to a stop at the sight, but the third paid no heed and continued after the deer. Apparently, the wolves had the ability to speak the human tongue:

"It's Sesshomaru!" one of them yelled, fear beginning to overwhelm him.

But the second one seemed more interested in Lenezma as she lowered her head, getting a better look. "Whoa, Sesshomaru's got himself a bitch…"

"Never mind that! Let's split!" the first one yelled as he began to run back to the woods, but the second ran towards the other, who was soon upon the deer.

Without a word, Sesshomaru rushed to his feet, dashing after the one that fled in fear. Lenezma released the dragon as she too got to her feet.

The dragon rushed after the third wolf, smacking him in the jaw with his wing just before he could take a snap at the doe's hind leg, sending him rolling along the field. Sesshomaru reached the first in no time and quickly sliced him with his venomous whip. Lenezma rushed over and stopped right in front of the second, causing it to stop immediately.

"I am _not_ a bitch!" She swung her arm, the air slashes cutting the wolf down, killing it instantly. Both Lenezma and Sesshomaru watched the dragon chase the third wolf into the forest, where it came down on him. They could hear the wolf yipping with fear and pain… and then there was no more. The dragon flew back to Len where it reentered her body through her chest.

The two deer had ducked into hiding in a patch of wild flowers, but now rose to see the female demon approaching them. They're instincts told them to run, yet they couldn't move.

Len kneeled down, smiling gently as she attempted to placate them, calling them to her with a hushed voice.

The deer hesitated, and despite all better instincts, they came to her. She stroked their heads and ran her hand down their necks and past their shoulder blades, rubbing their cheeks with the back of her hands.

"Yeah… you're safe now…" she whispered to them.

Sesshomaru only watched as she pet the deer like domesticated pets. And like pets, they showed their affection towards her, nuzzling her cheeks, even licking them once. He watched this peaceful moment a while longer, somehow feeling at calm with this sight.

Then the flashes of her beneath him popped back up in his head; he could still feel her breath on his lips, see those eyes gazing into his own.

He wasn't sure what was happening to him. When he first laid eyes on Lenezma, he was well ready and willing to kill her. And when he found out she was part demon, her stance with him hadn't all that much improved. He had spared them on behalf of Rin, whose happiness had grown tremendously, and yet he had never even wondered about Lenezma.

But he was still lost in his own thoughts. He's run into many female demons over the centuries, some very similar to her, but always dismissed them from his sights, deleting them from his memory like they were one of those meaningless wolves.

But Lenezma... seemed different. His first encounter with her had been mind-boggling, her ability to conceal her demonic scent from him having interested him, as did her whole disguise, but there was still something about her, something that fascinated him more than anything else, but only until today did he truly realize it.

Sesshomaru just wanted a taste… He had hoped that by doing so he might overcome these pains that attacked him, aches that forced him to look upon Lenezma in another way.

But when she opened her eyes… her bright, cerulean jewels gleamed as she stared back. Everything she did, though minor, had managed to drive him further. He no longer wanted to rid himself of these unusual pains, but embrace her for the pleasure of it.

He watched her stand up, giving one last stroke to each of them before turning and walking back towards him, the deer standing and returning to the woods shortly after.

As she approached him, nothing came to mind as to what she should say. If it weren't for the deer, who knows what would have happened? Well, she _knew_ what would happen, but what would it have led to?

Len pushed the thoughts of her and Sesshomaru aside, knowing something like that would never work. Why? It just… couldn't. But… when he had that look in his eyes… No, she pushed it all aside again, now standing before Sesshomaru, still with nothing to say.

"If you feel you're done training, we'll return home. … Well?"

"Uh… Yeah, I'm done."

Sesshomaru did not speak again, merely stood staring down at her with his usual blank gaze. Suddenly Len heard a soft wisp in the wind, looking down at her feet where a strange mist cloud appeared, lifting them into the air.

She tensed up at the rising of the cloud, her hands instinctively gripping the nearest object: Sesshomaru's arm. Len gasped as she realized what she'd done, as his eyes fell upon her; her hands retreated quickly, the red streaks across her cheeks quite visible as she turned from him, unable to meet his eyes, but in her shock, one of her feet took a step back and slipped beyond the cloud's reach.

Her eyes widened as her body began to fall, unable to catch herself – but she was caught just in time, Sesshomaru's hand grabbing her upper arm and heaving her back up, her body colliding with his, her eyes stuck on his throughout it all. "You need to stay still," he told her calmly, still staring into Lenezma's eyes with a calm gaze, sucking her in to his warmth.

Again, red streaks flared as she hastily forced a gap between them, making sure of her footing this time as she took a step back. She couldn't face him… not with that look in his eyes, not with her cheeks on fire like this. She had been shocked, that was all… her blush meant nothing… right?

The cloud rose up high into the sky and softly transported them back to the mansion, a cool breeze blowing their hair softly. Despite her attempts to avoid him, she could not shake off the knowledge of his hand still gripping her arm firmly, keeping their arms pressed together, their bodies close.

Both were very silent, not even hinting to each other that they wanted to talk, even though both badly wanted to. Sesshomaru couldn't get the image of her below him out of his head and Len couldn't stop picturing his eyes and the look on his face.

Defeated in her desire to escape his touch, she brought her other hand up in order to grab at her elbow, to give her better anchorage, but without looking and it went too far and grazed Sesshomaru's fingers.

Lenezma flinched yet again, forcing her eyes not to look up at him when she put her hand down at her elbow, watching it this time, yet fully aware of his gaze in the corner of her eyes. She was able to suppress her blush in his presence, but looked away just the same.

She looked over the cloud, holding on tightly as she glanced over the edge down at the forest below them. It wasn't long at all before she could see the mansion, and down the cloud went.

As soon as they got off, the cloud evaporated and Sesshomaru finally released her. She turned to Sesshomaru, deeply desiring to speak to him, finally ready to talk, but found him already at the door and walking inside. She sighed heavily before following him in.

She walked in and could sense he walked towards the room with the large fireplace, but could not bring herself to go see him. Instead, she returned to her room where she collapsed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

_What happened today? Was it all just some strange dream or… Or was Sesshomaru actually trying to kiss me?_

* * *

"He no longer wanted to rid himself of these unusual pains, but embrace her for the pleasure of it."  
*drool* Another favorite line… *twitch*


	11. Chapter 11

**Eleven**

_I remember falling asleep when I felt something on my cheek… and then I found him there, hovering over me, apparently shocked at my awakening, but that didn't stop his descent… he still tried to embrace me… No… no that just can't be. This is Sesshomaru I'm talking about! He's hated me since day one, putting up with me only because he wants Kikka to keep Rin happy!_

But despite everything she told herself, she found her mind still wandering to the question of whether he really was trying to kiss her.

_No, it had to have been real… he was most definitely above me when the deer came, and the wolves found us in such a position!_

Len felt lost. She had assured herself it really happened, but nothing made sense: Sesshomaru disliked her in general and hated half-demons as a whole. He was an asshole, and yet she still found herself pulling her impressions of him together…

_He completely lacks a real personality, refusing to be happy in any way at all, pushing everyone away, even Rin who seems to love him so much, and Jaken who will stay loyal to him until his death._

_He just seems so void of everything around him, he doesn't seem to appreciate all the things he has. If only he knew how lucky he was…_

And then her mind wandered. She turned over, hugging the blankets under her head, using them as a pillow. She thought about how Kikka and Rin were doing, what Jaken was up to… it didn't take much for it to wander back to her moment with Sesshomaru.

Then something hit her... _"If you're done training, we'll return home."_

_Home... It's no longer the "mansion," it's our home. I guess that means he wants Kikka and me to continue to stay here? Rin would be overjoyed if Kikka could stay with them, and I could receive more training from Sesshomaru. But... will that be all? Or will he actually try again?_

After getting completely lost in her thoughts, she rolled over and fell asleep. She woke up several hours later after enduring some weird dreams, the sun soon to be setting. She got up and walked downstairs, smelling cooking food. Like Sesshomaru, she could go on without sustenance – at least for a few days – but found an interest in food. Not to mention she was used to eating with Kikka when she would get hungry.

She walked into the kitchen where she had dinner with Jaken and the girls, playing a few games of Issen with them afterwards. When the festivity was over, the girls ran off in order to take their evening bath while Len retired early even though she had already gotten a long nap.

When back in her room, she opened the window and sat down at the sill as she often did, enjoying the breeze. She looked out at the dark forest, then up at the deep blue sky. She had always loved the night sky, the moon, and the stars.

She put her fingers to her birthmark and caressed it softly, feeling the tenderness of the skin. And as she stroked it softly, she caught a glimpse of a shooting star, flying across the night sky like a white arrow.

She closed her eyes, "No matter what, let us be happy..."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru, confined within his chamber, had a much different outlook than Lenezma's dreamlike memory.

Instead, he was cursing habitually in his head as he repeatedly called himself stupid.

_How could I have been so stupid?_ (See?)_ Why did I give in to such temptations? Just by following such urges even the slightest will only make me hunger for more, especially after…_ he faded a moment, his hand resting over his heart, not gripping his shirt like before. _… After I took __**joy**__ in that unusual feeling…_

"Pulling myself away from her is going to be much harder than before."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

For the next two days, Len found herself lingering around the mansion, playing games with Kikka and Rin, helping Jaken with the chores: she cleaned the clothes, dusted shelves, and washed the dishes, all kinds of housework, just trying to find something to do.

She had not seen Sesshomaru since that day; she had even gone looking for him for pure training purposes, but he was nowhere to be found.

But, in case he chose to randomly appear before her like last time, she decided to at least keep up her training. When free of chores, she'd circle the mansion walls, performing many different exercises to keep herself in shape. Inside the yard, she'd practice her fire techniques, learning to create balls of fire which she could throw and figured out how to call any flames into her body, whether they originated from her or not.

She constantly practiced with the dragon, which Kikka and Rin took great interest in. Jaken was scared to hell when it jumped out at him for the first time, giving the rest of them a good laugh.

"Good night, Leny!" Rin and Kikka called as she left the room. She had just got done playing four games of Issen with them right after dinner and her brain was officially fried.

"Good night Kikka! Rin!" she walked out of the kitchen and headed towards the front door.

She stepped outside, her feet gliding through the grass as she walked gently in the evening darkness, the sleeves of her long, pink kimono with white bellflowers wavered in the wind.

A low grumbling noise was heard; Ah-Un trudged towards her, hoping for some loving.

"Hi, Ah and Un," she greeted, scratching their scales gently so as not to cut their skin. "I'm going to go out for a bit, I'll be back later…"

Len turned from them but was jerked back as one of the heads grabbed a hold of her sleeve with his mouth, making sure not to bite too hard and ruin it. They grumbled almost sadly as she looked back at them.

"I'm just going on night patrol… Do you want to come with me?"

The deep black eyes lit up at these words, both heads nodding enthusiastically. The dragon suddenly turned and began motioning for her to climb on.

"You want me to ride you?" she asked, receiving a firm nod from the nearest head. With a silly grin, Lenezma propped herself up onto his back gently, balancing herself as the two-headed dragon began rising off the ground.

They elevated straight up before heading for the great walls, gliding over them peacefully…

"Hmm… This is nice, isn't it? The cool night wind in our faces… We've never done this before, have we Ah-Un? Just the two of us… We should do it more often, huh?" she smiled, patting him on the back gently.

She chuckled as both heads nodded excitedly at the prospect of going out on more patrols with the demon upon his back, a figure whom he had grown quite fond of during the many weeks she'd been living with them, the feline almost always finding time to just loiter with him or give him a good scratching behind the ears.

"Hey, Ah-Un… Sesshomaru… does he…?"

One eye glanced back at her curiously.

"Er, never mind…" she faded, looking away gently. She felt stupid for thinking it, or even attempting to ask the dragon about it, but couldn't help remembering the brook… it was still so strange to her… "Hmm?" she glanced up, finding the dragon's left head looking back at her, almost with a smile as he growled softly.

Len grinned. "Right… Come on, let's go find us some entertainment!"

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

The following afternoon, Jaken, after finishing the morning lessons with all three females, asked for Lenezma to follow him.

"What is it?"

"Lord Sesshomaru has asked me to start introducing you to more pertinent reading,"

Len blinked, curious of what he meant by that. "Oh?"

"Yes," Jaken nodded firmly as he opened up a certain door, leading Lenezma into a room she'd almost forgotten: the library.

"Light the fire for me, will you?" the imp asked rather politely as he headed towards the far row of shelves. With a flick of her wrist, the fire sprang to life, instantly lighting up the room while several candles scattered about also burst with fire, giving the room an all around glow.

Waiting for Jaken to come back with some scrolls, Lenezma couldn't help but stand and stare at the same painting that had so intrigued her the last few times she visited. She'd been so interested in the portrait, wondering if the woman displayed was of some acquaintance.

She was very beautiful, standing in the moonlight beside an eloquently thin tree that only stood maybe two feet taller than her, perfectly balancing the image.

The woman wore rich and expensive clothing, a multi-layer kimono of violet-blue that glowed in the moon's light, causing the cherry blossom petal design to radiate magnificently, bringing out her clear yellow-green eyes. As if to enrich her over all majesty, hanging delicately around the arms, covering a majority of her lower half, hung what appeared to be a large robe of white fur.

"Here we are!" Jaken fumbled back to the main table, dropping five or six scrolls clumsily before turning to Len, finding a shocked look upon her face.

"Are you kidding me? I can barely read and you're throwing all this at me?"

"Don't worry, the bulk of these scrolls consist of pictures."

"Pictures? What for?"

"These are detailed records of various demons that roam this country! If you're going to survive the world outside Lord Sesshomaru's lands you'll need to be prepared!"

Len was slightly taken aback by this information, surprised by the way Jaken talked; sure, it had always been her goal to set out on her own when she was strong enough, but lately she'd been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't know what was what anymore.

However, due to a sincere interest in what these scrolls could tell her, she did as Jaken said and went through the scrolls with him, learning about demons she never knew existed, their strengths and weaknesses, abilities, almost anything she could ever wish to know…

"Jaken," she started, the imp having returned after getting some tea for lunch, "I was wondering… Who is that woman in the painting over there?"

"Hmm?" Jaken followed her gaze, turning to find the enchantress upon the far wall, seemingly watching them. "Oh, why that is a portrait of the late mistress of this mansion," he answered matter-of-factly.

"The late mistress?"

"Why yes – that's Lord Sesshomaru's mother."

Len's eyes widened almost instantly, jumping to her feet hastily in order to gain a better look at the painting…

"That's his mother?" she wondered aloud, stunned by her beauty and even more shocked by the similarities she noticed now that she knew the truth. "But… she looks so kind and gentle… how could she have given birth to such a killer?"

And in the following instant, the memories came flooding back to her, images of Sesshomaru's dreamy eyes, his hot breath on her lips, the brush of his nose against hers.

She shook her head hastily, clearing her mind of such memories before Jaken could notice her sudden behavior.

But the imp was impervious, scratching his chin nervously as he remembered their brief encounter with the Lady a few years ago.

"Believe it or not, Lord Sesshomaru is more like _her_ than his father…

"She was said to have belonged to an old clan of dog demons that lived in a well hidden land. They say she was the best and brightest, but has been known to destroy her fair share of human towns…"

"That seems so hard to believe…" Len gazed upon the woman's soft visage, her glowing eyes revealing a motherly warmth. "But… what happened to her? Where is she now?"

"Oh, she's around…" he faded, almost as if trying to avoid the subject. Their encounter with the Lady had been a little on the unpleasant side…

Len eyed the imp curiously at his comment, realizing he didn't think much of the topic. She wanted to know more, but doubted that either Jaken or Sesshomaru would talk about it. Feeling slightly defeated and discouraged, she returned to the table where she sipped at the tea before returning to her studies…

For the next few days, Lenezma was kept busy between her demonology lessons and nightly patrols with her two-headed companion. She was disheartened by the fact she still hadn't seen Sesshomaru, still just missing him every time she was sure she had found his location.

What bothered her the most was the lingering images in her head.

She almost couldn't think of him without those memories flooding back, her heart rate increasing with the redness in her cheeks.

Len still hadn't completely convinced herself that what happened was real. Why would he do such a thing? Why would he actually get so close and try to… try to _kiss_ her? Didn't Sesshomaru hate half-demons? Even if he _liked_ Lenezma, wouldn't his pride have kept him from embracing her in such a way?

But everything that had touched her was still vivid in her mind, senses that couldn't be so meticulously perceived from a dream. And those wolves – they even commented upon seeing them in the grass. Surely that was evidence enough! They slaughtered the demons, didn't they? She played with the deer and rode on Sesshomaru's cloud of mist. If it was all a lie, then… then…

"Leny?"

Lenezma nearly jumped out of her skin at the tiny voice, nearly losing her balance after such a jolt back to reality.

"Oh, Kikka, you scared me…" she whispered softly, quickly recovering from her intense lapse of sanity.

"Sorry, but you were scaring me with that look…" she replied innocently.

Lenezma could only imagine what kind of facial expressions she was making. "Don't worry, I'm all right. I've just had a lot on my mind lately, that's all…"

"Well, you've been awfully busy. When you're not training, you're usually in the library reading with Jaken."

"Yes… I'm sorry I haven't been able to play with you and Rin lately."

"It's okay," she shrugged it off, though Lenezma could sense a sort of sadness in her eyes. "Jaken's been testing us a lot lately as well – we know about all kinds of plants now! And since we started to learn to read, Jaken's even pulled out a few scrolls for us!"

"Really? That's wonderful!" Len smiled, glad to see Kikka's proud grin over her recent accomplishments. "You two are going to be highly prized for your knowledge in the future!"

"You will too, won't you, Leny?"

Lenezma hesitated at this question, finding the circumstances different between the two of them. "Well, perhaps…"

Suddenly Kikka's fists hit the table and she grinned determinedly up at her sister, unwilling to accept her modesty. "Of course you will! Sesshomaru is training you, isn't he? You'll become a famous demon, I just know it! And when villagers talk about you, I can proudly claim that you're my sister!"

"No!"

Kikka flinched at Len's sudden outburst, confused by her reaction.

With a sad shake of the head, Len placed her hands on Kikka's shoulders softly; "No, Kikka… I appreciate the honor, but I don't want you associating yourself with me… Whether or not I become known is anyone's guess, but you shouldn't tell people about us. It could get you into a lot of trouble one day…"

"But… you're my sister… you're the only family I've ever had… How can I _not_ be proud of you?"

All it took was those seven little words to bring a tear to her sapphire eyes. Lenezma hugged her sister tightly, drying her tears on the girl's silky kimono as her heart warmed instantly. _Kikka… Thank you…_

Her words echoed in her mind all throughout the day, filling her with a fondness that she'd nearly forgotten. After years of isolation, having only a few people at her side, only one of them close enough to confide in (Kikka, of course), Lenezma had lost bits of her heart.

She'd grown cold toward all who bore dark intent for her, even some who'd never so much as glance at her. Then again, that may have been why she grew to hate them – as if she weren't good enough for their eyes or even to give a simple hello to while passing.

Everyone had been slaughtered and yet Lenezma was still pitted against the harsh words of Sesshomaru and Jaken, but it felt like a small price to pay for the extra friend she gained in Rin, who brought so much joy and happiness to her only loved one.

And then there was Ah-Un, of course, whom she fondly stroked as these muddled thoughts crossed her mind.

It was moon-high in the evening, the two-headed dragon floating effortlessly over the trees before descending into a small clearing to the northwest of the mansion.

She slipped down from their back easily, running her fingers through Ah's hair before silently heading into the trees, the dragon trailing behind as quietly as he could.

Normally things were very calm in the forest with very few nocturnal demons wandering the paths – one reason Sesshomaru had allowed her this freedom. But in one single instance all of that changed, an unusual scream sounding off in the distance.

Lenezma stopped to listen, _That sounded like a doe…_

She took a few swift steps in the direction of the sound, but stopped immediately. The words "It's a natural cycle of life" ran through her head as she reacted. It was something Sesshomaru had told her when she wanted to help a rabbit from being a fox's dinner.

Another cry came, followed by another. It was evident a whole herd of them were in trouble…

Len bit her lip… and began running for the cries, Ah-Un following not far behind.

_Sesshomaru's not here!_

As she ran, she began to recognize where she was. If she was correct, it sounded as if the cries were coming from a field of wildflowers that should be just ahead.

When she cleared the trees, for a split second she was proud of herself for being right, but that was completely forgotten with the unusual sight before her.

There they were, a whole herd of deer standing clustered amidst the center of the flower field, a fully grown buck, as well as a few younger ones with their immature antlers, surrounded the females and a fawn or two protectively.

Surrounding them, however, was an entire pack of the 3-eyed wolf demons, their duel rows of fangs glinting wickedly as they barked, trying to find themselves a midnight snack.

As she stared, dumbfounded, she came to recognize a few of the scents: _Those are my deer! The ones we helped before!_

All of the bucks held their heads low to the ground, warning the wolves that threatened them and their does, kicking at the dirt with their hooves as a warning.

One of the wolves jumped at a buck, but another one came to his rescue and smacked the wolf away with his antlers. They were family, the brothers protecting each other.

Just as she was about to help, she heard a disturbing, repulsive voice calling to the wolves, commanding them, "What are you doing? Get them!"

That was then when Len looked over to find a deformed wolf devil, bloodshot eyes and drool dripping from his fangs, as well as possession over other personal issues that made the thing look absolutely hideous as it stood, slouched over on its hind legs.

She looked back at the deer just as one of the wolves sank his teeth into the hind leg of one of the bucks. The buck screamed and kicked wildly, hitting the wolf a few times in the chest, but it refused to let go.

Lenezma felt something snap within her.

Unable to take any more, she threw her arm out, the dragon bursting through her skin, and flying straight at the pack of wolves, ramming through and knocking them all over the place like bowling pins. The dragon then turned around and grabbed the last wolf - that still held onto the buck's leg - around his back with his mouth, frightening it into freeing the leg.

The wolf kicked and yipped, but the dragon only flew closer to the leader before throwing the terrified creature into the ground violently.

As soon as the deer realized they were free to run, the wolves distracted by the sudden aid, they all fled for the trees where they would keep on running to safety.

The distraught demon looked down upon his fallen brother at his feet; he quickly shifted his gaze, glaring right at Len, knowing it was she who called the dragon. He pointed his disfigured claws at her and the pack of wolves charged.

She called the dragon back to her where it plowed through the pack again. A few wolves that managed to avoid the dragon leapt at her, ready to kill, but to them she threw fireballs, which sent them flying back, also landing at the demon's feet.

Two wolves, however, managed to dodge these as well, jumping at her from both sides; she struck both of them with her slashes, sending their bodies back the way they came, several pieces following.

The few remaining wolves stared at her in both awe and fear. They glanced between her and their fallen brethren shakily before finally deciding it wasn't worth it and fled from the field – opposite of the deer's heading.

As one of the wolves ran off, tail between its legs, it screamed "It is Sesshomaru's bitch!"

It was the first time Lenezma thought perfectly clear since she arrived, and she clenched her fists in response.

The dark, misshapen leader of theirs stood his ground, deepening his glare for her before grinning menacingly.

"Sesshomaru's bitch, eh? I've heard of you! So, you think you can beat me? You don't know who you're messing with! This is _our_ territory, despite what that Sesshomaru may claim!" he growled.

"I am NOT a bitch! And besides, it's you who doesn't know!" she called back furiously, ready to attack.

The demon threw its head back, roaring with laughter, "And I suppose you think I'll die at your hands?"

Lenezma took note to his lowering stature, his forepaws now closer to the ground; most likely he was planning to charge at her for his own attack. The hairs along his spine began to bristle, confirming her theory.

Len smirked. "No; his," she said, relaxing as she motioned to something behind him.

The demon turned his head around just in time to see Sesshomaru strike down on him with the glowing Tokijin.

The bloody demon fell, his minced entrails scattering across the field, crushing flowers as the mass amount of blood splattered all over the immediate area. Len didn't like this ending at all: dead bodies, blood, gore, and ruined flowers.

Lenezma called her dragon back before approaching Sesshomaru happily, hiding her joy with a tease: "Well, glad to see you after all this time."

"Why were you out here?" he called in all seriousness, catching Len off guard, but he would not meet her eyes. "I told you, you must leave nature alone and let it run its own course," he continued in an as serious a tone as you can without sounding pissed off, still avoiding her gaze.

"Hey!" she yelled in a gruff manner. "Did you not see those wolves? They were the same kind of demons we killed the other day! Besides, you saw the demon controlling them! That isn't exactly nature's natural cycle, you know!"

"You're still not strong enough to be taking on certain demons yet, you shouldn't have made a challenge."

"Yeah, well, it turned out all right didn't it?"

"With my help," he turned sternly, finally daring to meet her eyes.

"Now you listen… to… me…" she faded. Sesshomaru waited patiently for the rest of her sentence, but got none in the end. "Do you smell that?" she said peculiarly, sniffing the air.

It was a strange scent, unlike any she'd ever experienced before. It… called to her. She looked down, feeling it came from below her. She knelt down and located the source of the smell.

"What is this?" she asked. There was an unusual weed at her feet; there didn't seem to be anything peculiar about it, yet it had the most interesting smell. She touched the leaves, leaning in for a closer whiff when she began to sneeze several times nonstop, throwing her off balance. Lenezma fell back quickly, her hair dangling in her face.

"What's the matter?" he asked, not sounding worried but giving the impression. Even that was different. He knelt down and moved a thick section of her hair out of her face.

Len looked up at him, a large, stupid grin on her face, her eyes lazy and her speech muddled.

"Mmm… I don't know…" she said, smiling, "I just know I feel _very_ light headed… I think I'm going to take a nap now…" she half giggled as she fell forward, feinting there in his arms.

Confused, he ripped a long stem from the weed, sniffing its leaves and branches, but it had absolutely no affect on him. He decided to tuck it into his kimono for the time being; he would ask Jaken later.

Unsure of her current condition, Sesshomaru picked her up in his arms carefully as Ah-Un finally arrived, walking softly towards them, catching Sesshomaru's gaze as they called to him. "Come, let's return,"

Ah-Un patiently waited as Sesshomaru settled onto their back before leaping into the air where they headed back home.

Lenezma slept peacefully against his arm despite the fact she could have easily slipped from the dragon's back, Sesshomaru not caring to keep her firmly in place. Yet nearly the entire way back, Sesshomaru kept his eyes serenely on Lenezma's sleeping face.

"Hmm?" Sesshomaru looked at her wrist, seeing two tiny marks from the corner of his eye. He moved the sleeve, revealing two more as his fingers stroked her soft flesh.

He had found the same imprints his claws made all those weeks ago. He didn't know he had scarred her…

Once home, Sesshomaru held her in his arms once again where he then brought her into the fireplace room, setting her down on the large cushions pushed together.

Almost as soon as he let go, she woke up and looked around stupidly, "Where am I?" she asked almost drunkenly; her pupils were highly dilated.

"It seems there was something about that weed that's left you muddled,"

"What are you talking about?" she stood up quickly and stumbled in a total stupor, almost losing her balance. "I'm just fine…!" she mumbled just before falling forward into Sesshomaru, catching her yet again.

Lenezma looked up at him and stood as straight up as possible without leaning against him, but didn't last very long. "Well… maybe I'm not… Oh well!" she giggled cheerily, losing her balance again.

Her knees caved in and she collapsed again, but Sesshomaru held onto her arms, keeping her up and setting her on her feet though she continued to lean towards him as if given up on trying to stand.

Before he could push her away, her hands grabbed the sleeves at his elbow and she looked up into Sesshomaru's eyes, the cerulean blue barely visible around the rims of her irises. She gazed silently, the fire's crackling the only noise as gold and sapphire (black) stared, slightly intimately…

"Your eyes are reeeeally preeeeetty..." she stammered, completely ruining the moment. "And you smell good toooo..." she practically drooled, her knees collapsing beneath her again, but Sesshomaru held her tightly, keeping his grip as he pulled her a little closer to lean against him better…

After a moment, her grip on his sleeves lightened, telling him that she had blacked out again.

The fire raged on just behind him, almost inaudible to his sensitive ears as all of his senses seemed to focus on one solitary object…

He stood tall, trying to ignore the semi-embrace that they'd fallen into, a voice in his head telling him to just let her drop… but he couldn't.

He just stood there, staring at her head of striped hair with an unending gaze, breathing in her flowery scent. And before he even knew it, he was soon holding her in an embrace, his arms fully wrapped around her delicate torso…

It was just the other night that he'd partly - _partly _- thought about… about _holding_ Lenezma similar to this… Then again, he had pictured it while she was sane and sober, but wasted off of some plant was completely out of the question. If anything, all of this was a big nuisance, annoying Sesshomaru more and more as time went on.

It was at that point that he realized what he'd done.

Jerking his head out of the clouds, irritated with himself, he carefully eased her body to the ground, setting her back down on the long pillows where she immediately turned on her side.

Sesshomaru grabbed one of the blankets piled in the corner, covering her half-heartedly. It was like just taking a blanket and tossing it over her body, hoping it landed okay, if not, oh well. It wasn't like it mattered much anyway; the plant, whatever it was, had knocked her out cold. It was then that he remembered the plant sample tucked inside his shirt, the place where Len's face had fallen into him, undoubtedly reaching her senses through the cloth and thus putting her back into a sleep.

"Sesshomaru…"

He glanced down at her, but her eyes were closed. The way she had said it shocked him a bit, never hearing anyone say his name the way she just did. It wasn't angry or calm, but almost wanting. _I'm just hearing things... _

But he was wrong. Just then, she chanted his name again, a little more normal this time, but followed it up with a sentence.

"It was good to see you again… I've missed you…"

He stared down at her, firm but weirded out by her saying such a thing. It was something no one had ever said to him before, yet there she was, talking in her drugged up sleep, dreaming of him...

He knelt next to the couch, near her head, staring at her face intently. His fingers lightly brushed over her cheeks, pulling some of her silver hairs out of her face with his claws, the tips just barely petting her cheeks, causing her to stir in her sleep at the soft tickle...

Lenezma finally awoke, feeling dizzy and surprised to find herself on the couch of the fireplace room. She began blinking her eyes rapidly to try and clear her vision. After a moment, everything unclouded and she glanced around the room.

The fire was a little smaller than before, but was still quite large. She looked towards the closed window and could tell it was still dark out, so she had either slept for a short time or slept all day and back into the night – nothing would have surprised her about now.

She pushed herself up and looked around again, her mind in a whirl. _What happened? Last thing I remember is... Sesshomaru killing that wolf demon in the field, and then everything gets fuzzy..._

She turned her head around quickly when she heard a footstep; it was Sesshomaru.

"So you're awake."

Len wiped her forehead, ridding herself of any sweat, massaging it as she felt a tiny headache. "What happened? I don't remember a thing after... There was a plant…"

"Yes; it obviously acted as some sort of drug to your nose,"

"Really? Hmm…"

She pulled herself to the edge of the cushions and stretched her feet out on the floor. She pulled the blanket up and covered her legs up with it and just stared downwards.

She could hear Sesshomaru approach and then walk past as he stood next to the fire like he always did. She looked up at him as he stood there, arms crossed, gazing into the flames.

She looked over at the window, hoping for something to come to her to say. "How long have I been out?"

"Only an hour or two,"

_Not as late as I thought it was._ She looked down at where her feet were under the blanket and smiled, "I didn't do anything stupid, did I?"

"Nothing more than constantly losing your balance and blabbering on as always,"

She narrowed her eyes at him with a humph, turning her head away irritably_._ Len curled her legs beneath the blanket but could find nothing to say; _I'd probably just be 'blabbering on' some more to him…_

Lenezma looked up at him again, feeling his eyes on her.

And they were.

The two turned away, avoiding looking at each other, peering around the rest of the room.

Her body suddenly shook as a cold chill ran through her body. She looked towards the fire, hardly concentrating at all with her eyes before the flames suddenly grew, roaring louder and taller than before, giving off more heat.

Sesshomaru made no comment but was forced to take a step back or start sweating. It surprised him only a little when the fires burst, glancing in Lenezma's direction as he knew she was the cause, but found she had done so with sheer force of will. He made sure not to look upon her, but focused his other senses on her just the same…

Lenezma laid back down, staring off before taking a deep breath for no real reason, it just sort of came and went. Or maybe it was a sigh? A sigh of what though? Relief? Sadness? But neither of those made any real sense…

Then it occurred to Sesshomaru, though he didn't feel positive it was the correct answer: she felt happy… content.

She felt safe.

Safe? With him? Most people would be scared beyond the point of peeing in their pants when he was near. Only Jaken and Rin felt safe around him, but knew if he turned on them, they'd be trembling as well. Yet here she was, not a worry at all. Knowing this helped Sesshomaru relax greatly, almost to the point of taking a deep breath himself.

Lenezma closed her eyes and quickly drifted back into a doze. When she reawakened, she found she was still lying there with Sesshomaru nearby.

She pushed her upper body up hastily, catching Sesshomaru's attention. She glanced around the room quickly, "How long was I out?"

"…You've only been lying there several minutes,"

"Oh… Okay," she relaxed again. "I thought I might've fallen asleep again… Wouldn't want you to feel as though you had to wait on me," she smiled.

She turned her head to look in his eyes and found him staring deep into hers, his oh-so-familiar dreamy look returning, appearing much more magnificent than usual as his topaz jewels gleamed in the fire.

Lenezma's heart began to pound wildly, almost panicky as she found herself stuck in suspension, unable to tear her eyes from his. _Oh please don't let him hear my heart beat!_

But he did. What he didn't know was if she could hear that his own heart had sped up.

Suddenly Sesshomaru snapped back to reality with a hard blink, quickly breaking the gaze to look upon the fire.

Len forced herself to calm down; this was stupid! What was she thinking? Sesshomaru wasn't interested in her, how many times did she have to remind herself of that? She was a half-demon! Besides, it wasn't like she was head-over-heels for him either… that ass…

Yet while she watched him as she stood up, mixed emotions about him filled her: one part of her was relieved he looked away, but another side felt disheartened.

She didn't know what she wanted; should she just tell him good night right now and leave the room? Or should she stay in here with him? Until what though? Until he command her to leave? Or her own body forced her to?

Len stepped near Sesshomaru, staring down into the flames as he did in one last attempt to clear her thoughts.

She carefully glanced up at him, mystified as his eyes reflected the orange and yellow of the flame beautifully. After another moment of silence passed, she decided to glance back up one last time, having finally decided to just leave. But when she looked up, he was looking down at her too.

She quickly turned her gaze back to the fire, hoping he didn't see her. What was she thinking? Of course he saw her! _Stupid! Stupid! Just tell him goodnight and LEAVE!_

After a moment of forcing her lips to move, she finally started to excuse herself for the evening. "Well, I'll be off to bed now,"

Lenezma turned away from him hastily and began walking towards the pillows. She got down on her knees and grabbed the blanket, folding it before she left. As soon as she folded it, she looked up to find Sesshomaru, partially turned from the fire and staring at her full on, his arms at his sides.

Len avoided his gaze as she stood tall once again, but made the mistake of looking up into his eyes. He was staring straight down at her, piercing through her; his eyes unwavering as they bore down on her.

Lenezma tried to look away, but found she couldn't do it. There was something in his eyes… something that seemed to mesmerize her and pull her in, yet neither moved one bit.

She could feel her heart beginning to speed up once more. And just when she felt as though something might happen, it was she who snapped back to reality.

"Well, I should be leaving. Good night," she bowed slightly, though quick, and turned away from him. She walked silently towards the door, her nerves finally at ease knowing that she was going to bed and no longer had to fight the tension or these mixed feelings.

"Lenezma."

Lenezma stopped immediately, taken aback by the way he spoke. It was a strange way to call her name, not really calling her or trying to get her attention, just saying it as simple as hello.

Len turned slowly, hating herself for looking in his eyes yet again. She braced herself as Sesshomaru approached her at an even pace, his eyes completely focused on her.

"I want to apologize for my actions last time," he spoke softly as he came to a stand before her. But before Len could reply, he continued. "Then… and now…"

Lenezma was quickly overwhelmed in confusion as Sesshomaru placed his hands on her delicate shoulders, gently gripping them as he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers with little hesitation.

Complete and utter silence.

She was absolutely astonished at Sesshomaru! What had suddenly come over him?

Her eyes remained open with shock after he embraced her, his kiss swiftly breaking down her normal defenses, deteriorating her thoughts. She could feel her body beginning to relax, her eyes eventually shutting as her body finally accepted Sesshomaru's embrace despite one last tiny voice in her head demanding to know what the _hell_ was going on here!

Unknowingly, she released yet another sigh of contentment, telling him she'd given in. Her lips gave way to his drive just as he felt her fingers at his shirt, gripping it tightly; with her comply, Sesshomaru began to dive deeper, drawing more passion out of them.

Lenezma's heart became filled with mixed emotions as his actions plunged into her heart. She felt so light and content, but the feelings of hate she bore for him blended in all at the same time, creating an irresistible sensation within her.

The fire place wavered dangerously, flicking wildly behind them.

Lenezma began to respond to his kiss as best she could, but she had never kissed anyone before, not a real kiss, and she was sure she was doing everything wrong, but that seemed to have little impact on Sesshomaru, so she continued to give back what she could to the domineering demon… _Ung!_

Her eyes shot wide as a sudden, horrible pain slammed atrociously into her heart, causing her body to tighten up immediately, her nerves bunching up; her hands flattened against his chest, pushing frantically.

Sesshomaru backed away at her abrupt tension, a thrilling rush flowing through him, satisfaction filling his chest like a breath of fresh air.

But Lenezma did not appear to share the same emotions, her unusual reaction leaving her in a bitter stupor as she backed away from him.

Lenezma's heart beat wildly, as if ready to implode. What had she done? She'd just made mouth-to-mouth contact with Sesshomaru, the most powerful demon she'd ever ran into and ruler of the lands that surrounded her on all sides! _Am I freaking crazy?_

Her nerves began to spasm, leaving her shaking where she stood, as if left in the freezing cold of a winter's night. She peered up at him, searching for an answer but only found more chest ache.

She attempted to regain her composure, but didn't fare well as she gazed uneasily up at him before forcing her eyes away, unable to look upon him. She backed further away from his reach quickly, her arms grasping the other in a fit of shivers.

She sensed several traces of different feelings in his eyes, even if they appeared normal. She could sense the bewilderment towards her actions, the sad, or better worded, disappointed look the most obvious as he stood there still staring at her with those beaut-

_No! Don't look at him!_

It was silent between the two, Len still feeling his eyes watching her every move with confusion, using all of her will power to keep from looking at him again.

"I… I have to go… I'm sorry…!" she cried out and ran from the room, heading straight to her bedroom as quickly as her legs could carry her, shutting the door behind her before collapsing on the bed, convulsing uncontrollably.

The fire filtered back to normal upon Lenezma's flight.

Sesshomaru, left standing alone in the fire room, replayed her fright in his head. He couldn't understand Lenezma; she practically wanted him to kiss her just a moment ago – she responded to his touch, she returned his kiss – and yet now that he did, she refused to look at him. He personally found it to be quite exhilarating, holding her in his arms with their lips joined. Those lips…

The memories of her soft, pink flesh against his lingered in his mind like a dog who's never forgotten his first belly rub.

But how did Lenezma feel? What was she feeling right now? Was it really so wrong of him to embrace her?

She was trembling. Just by looking at her he could feel her shaking. Was she nervous? Afraid? Afraid of… him?

_What's wrong with me? I'm so stupid!_ Len thought miserably as she hugged her blankets tightly. _And I'm still shaking! Why am I shaking?_

Lenezma continued to yell at herself like this, over and over, unable to understand this strange trembling. Another fifteen minutes passed of constant questioning before her body finally began to calm itself.

She desperately wished to go find him and apologize again, better than she had before running out, but just the mere thought of it caused a wave of electricity through her spine, removing the option from her mind.

In the end, she finally managed to fall asleep on top of the bed, still curled up in a fetal position as if trembling in her sleep.

_Sesshomaru…!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve**

It was early morning when Len woke up and decided to take a bath. Afterwards, she entered the house to find Jaken waddling into the kitchen. Perfect.

"Hey Jaken, I'm going out for a while, can you take care of the girl's breakfast?"

"What is your hurry this morning?"

"I just… need to get out for a bit, get some fresh air and clear my head I think..." she replied slowly. Jaken eyed her for only a moment before agreeing, obviously seeing that something was indeed bothering the feline. After thanking him, she left the kitchen and headed towards the front gate.

An hour later, she was sitting in a meadow northwest of the house. She had found a tree next to a small pond that was perfect for sitting under, providing a great view as well.

She sat there in the shade, letting her mind forget everything and focus on the peaceful scenery for almost two hours. She watched different kinds of animals come and go as they pleased, very few taking notice of the demon under the tree.

She was wearing one of her new kimonos that Jaken had gotten from somewhere while out on errands; each girl received two. How he got the money to pay for all that, who knows. Maybe he stole them? Or perhaps Sesshomaru had a stash somewhere?

This one was lavender with violet lining and blue larkspur scattered on it, all while using a strip of blue cloth to tie her hair back.

She began stretching out her arms and legs, feeling cramped. When she got back into a more comfortable position, she relaxed against the tree and closed her eyes softly, listening to everything around her, listening very intently…

She swung her arm around the tree to her right, hearing something approaching, but a clawed hand caught her wrist as she tried to strike him.

"That wasn't very nice," Sesshomaru said, looking into her surprised eyes.

"Sesshomaru!" she gasped right before he let her wrist go. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize it was you,"

"I thought I taught you better than that," he said calmly, not being serious as he sat down against the tree next to her, wearing his full ensemble.

"You did… It just hasn't sunk in very well. After all, I am a cat demon – we _are_ lazier than dogs!" she smiled, but it disappeared quickly as her memories reminded her of everything that happened last night.

It was quiet between the two, both watching the scenery and all nature had to offer, ignoring the tension.

Lenezma still felt awful, remembering how she couldn't stop shaking, the way she'd run out on him…

Why was she complaining? Why was she still dwelling on it? The two sides of her got what they wanted: one side got the kiss - which still freaked her out a little - and the other side forced her to leave! So what was she feeling now? Now that Sesshomaru was with her again?

"I apologize if last night was too much for you,"

"Huh?" Lenezma was a bit shocked to hear him say that, mostly because he spoke first.

"I'm sorry if that was not what you wanted," he repeated as one golden eye rested gently on her. Just him repeating something was new, let alone actually _apologizing_ for something – Sesshomaru seemed to be changing every time she saw him!

"No, it's not that, I… I…" Sesshomaru glanced over at her as she tried to think of what she wanted to say, looking down at her lap. She sighed, "I don't know what I'm feeling…"

Sesshomaru looked straight ahead again. Her answer didn't say much, but she at least forgave him in case it wasn't what she wanted after all.

She glanced over at him quickly before curling up her knees and wrapping her arms around them. "What about you? How do you feel?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened, but returned to normal quickly. What he felt? No one cared what he felt, nor did anyone need to know. It wasn't like there was anything to share. He remained silent.

Lenezma knew she wasn't going to get an answer.

Sesshomaru continued to stare out in the same direction for over five minutes, unbearable silence befalling them. His ears suddenly caught the sound of chirping birds, but he wasn't expecting the both of them to come down and land on his boot… or be on fire. _Hmm…?_

Two flaming birds came down, both landing on the same boot, looking around as they sang. Sesshomaru looked around at Lenezma who was smiling at the birds; definitely her handiwork.

One of the birds jumped down on the rest of his boot, looking around. He watched silently as both birds flew back up into the air and fused together into a single ball of flame, quickly transforming into a medium sized hawk. It flew up closer to Sesshomaru's head and landed on his arm, which rested on his other knee. The hawk landed and flexed his wings there on his arm, looking around.

Sesshomaru glanced over at Lenezma who still smiled at her creation, fighting her laughter.

The hawk screamed and flew up into the air and further away from them where it formed back into a ball of fire. Suddenly the ball exploded into ten, smaller balls, which sank into the earth, bringing Sesshomaru to alert. He looked back at Lenezma who still remained calm.

Suddenly, strange strings of fire began to climb up into the air. They began sprouting more and more strings, and suddenly, it began sprouting… leaves? And flowers as well, it looked like. Then it occurred to them that they were rose bushes… sort of.

All of a sudden, all ten bushes flared up, putting Sesshomaru on the edge once again. The bushes all rose above the ground and joined into one large fireball, all joining to form the outline of the dragon.

The dragon flew back to them and landed right between them with a graceful air, as if nothing else had just happened.

"I see you've kept practicing with your fires,"

"Not as much as you might think," Len smiled. She watched as the dragon walked towards her and reached its head out.

Sesshomaru watched as Lenezma took its muzzle into her hands and even began petting it, rubbing its jaw and neck. It was strange to see her doing such things with it. Suddenly it turned to him and tried nudging him with its muzzle.

Sesshomaru reached out with one hand and carefully placed it on the top of his head. _It's solid, and it's not hot at all_. He went along with it and pat its head gently. But why was Lenezma having it do this?

The dragon then backed away from him and jumped back into Len's body.

"So what'd you think?"

"Your powers are developing quite well. Your creations are quite firm,"

"Yeah… I don't know how to explain it. Just like how they aren't hot at all; they can't catch anything on fire by just touching it,"

Lenezma watched as Sesshomaru got to his feet calmly and started to slowly walk away.

"Where're you going?" she asked. She'd meant to merely think it but it came out of her mouth instead, much sadder than she'd intended.

"I'm heading south. I just came out here to check on you,"

"Oh… well, thank you," she said, leaning back against the tree to stare down at the pond, listening to his fading steps as he casually walked away from her…

Sesshomaru was just coming upon the forest before glancing back at the quiet figure; _She's all right. She obviously just wasn't ready…_

Lenezma sat up quickly, a deep pain filling her chest.

It came again.

Lenezma grabbed at her chest, breathing heavily as the pain began to grow. She stumbled forward onto her knees, the pain overwhelming her as her heart began to race, holding back her urge to cry out in agony.

And as quickly as it came, the pain dispersed. She began to push herself up, and sat on her knees, still panting. She looked down at her hands.

_No… Not this! Not now!_ She stared at her hands, unable to extract her claws. She grabbed some hair and looked at it: dark brown, almost black! She released the hair and felt her ears: normal _human_ ears.

"No!" She looked up into the sky, searching… "I can't see it," she looked back down at her hands, "but that doesn't mean it's not there… Damned moon!"

She stood up, looking around. "I'm sure Sesshomaru is already a good distance away. Grr! Why did the change have to happen here and now?" Lenezma began looking around, seriously wishing she could have her senses back. "I better get out of here as fast as I can,"

She began jogging in the direction Sesshomaru headed, also being the shortest way home. Not even to the trees yet, she began cursing herself for deciding not to wear something on her feet!

Lenezma entered the forest and quickly began making her way through, looking all around at all times, hoping nothing would try and attack her. After all, she was weaker now than before she joined Sesshomaru.

It was a long struggle through the forest: her kimono was getting shredded by thorns and sticks, dirt all over her hands and feet. It was a good while before she finally stopped near a thin, half-fallen tree to sit down and rest.

_This is terrible… No sign of Sesshomaru and I doubt I'm even half-way home! Why did I have to go out that far?_

"Oh that's right, because before, I wouldn't have any trouble dealing with this!" she yelled at herself.

She sat frustrated for a few more moments, regaining some of her composure before jumping off. But right as she got under the tree, she heard twigs snap, and low, gurgling sounds.

She turned around to find 3-eyed wolf demons coming out of hiding, growling at her as they slowly stepped forward; she looked forward to find some there too.

She was completely surrounded, with no place to run.

"Well, well… If it isn't Sesshomaru's bitch,"

_I AM NOT HIS BITCH!_

"Are you sure this is her?" one asked, "But she's… human,"

"How could a human have slain our brothers?"

"Unless... she's only half-demon!" the first one spoke again, chuckling.

"After his brother, I didn't think Sesshomaru would fall for such a creature,"

_Brother? _"How do you know so much about Sesshomaru?" Len asked, making sure she kept an eye on all of them. None of them made any moves… yet.

"We've been living on his land for a while now. We know of Sesshomaru – every demon in these parts knows! When you have ancestors who lived even during his father's reign, you tend to know about his past,"

"I still don't understand what would interest him in a half-breed,"

"Don't call me a half-breed! And most of all, I am NOT his bitch!" Just as she spoke, she jumped up as high as she could, grabbing part of the fallen tree and pulling herself up as fast as possible as the wolves began trying to snap at her ankles.

She pulled herself up, struggling with the kimono and her own poor arm strength. When she was up, she expected to be fine on the limb, but was quickly reminded of her lost feline balance when she nearly fell off.

She crawled up the tree on her hands and knees, not wanting to go too far as the tree began to get thinner.

The wolves were all barking and growling at her, trying to jump up, hoping it would do some good, while others tried finding ways to climb up to her, or better yet, knock her off.

Lenezma looked around frantically, hoping to find higher ground to reach, but all that was available to her were several small branches above her. Better than nothing.

Lenezma carefully steadied her feet as she stood up on the branch, and quickly grabbed the higher ones, holding on to them for what little balance they offered.

_Dammit! I wish Sesshomaru were here… That's it!_

"Sesshomaru!" she began crying out as loud as she could, screaming over the barking demons. "Sesshomaru!"

But even Sesshomaru was out of range to hear her.

Lenezma quickly looked further down the tree where two wolves were desperately trying to climb up, but the tree was too narrow for them to walk on. Then one began whispering to another…

_Damn myself for not being able to hear them!_

When they were done speaking, the second one jumped off and began joining in the barking and the jumping. But Len was worried about the first, who continued to wobble as he attempted to walk up the tree.

She could see the wolf glancing down continuously, watching its feet. Or was it?

The wolf bared its fangs suddenly and lunged at her.

Lenezma let go of the tree with her feet, swinging backwards as the wolf flew past, landing on his chest and sliding off the tree, landing painfully on its back.

Lenezma was hoping she'd be able to swing back onto the tree, but the branches were too weak to hold her for long, and broke under her weight.

She fell to the ground, landing hard on her back. Her eyes grew wide with fear as the wolves lunged at her, hunger in their eyes.

Upon an instant instinctual reaction, Lenezma rolled up in the fetal position, protecting her face and sensitive belly as the wolves began to sink their teeth into her flesh, tearing her kimono even more, covering it in her own blood as they clawed and bit at her legs and arms.

Tears streamed from her eyes as she cried out in pain, unable to fight them off, only two words going through her mind: _Sesshomaru! Help!_

Suddenly several wolves stopped biting her, crying in pain; then more disappeared as well, then finally all of them were off, constant yelps and whimpers of pain following.

Lenezma carefully opened her eyes, looking around. _Sesshomaru?_

But then she saw them. There were two men: one tall and brawny holding two large swords, bearing other weaponry on his back as well, while the other was short and thin with a single blade.

She watched as they slaughtered the wolves quickly and mercilessly, none of them able to escape.

Lenezma forced herself up into a sitting position, struggling with the wounds she received to the arms; she could feel her hands covered in blood.

The shorter one noticed her struggle and ran over to her quickly, sheathing his sword, "Lenezma! Don't move! You're too injured!" he said as he dropped to his knees at her side.

"What…?" she muttered. She stared at the man whose face was covered by a scarf. Who was he? How did he know her? "Who…?"

"It's me! Dolce!" he exclaimed as he removed the scarf.

Her brown eyes grew wide – it _was_ him! But how could he have survived Sesshomaru's onslaught? "… Dolce?"

"I'll explain later, right now we have to get you out of here, you're seriously injured!"

He began helping her up, ready to pick her up like a prince does in a fairy tale, but she refused his help as soon as he tried slipping one arm under her legs, "I may be injured but I still have my pride!"

Dolce was blown away by her words, surprised that she would even fight him in such a state. "But… we've got to get you out of here!"

"I can walk…" she replied stubbornly, avoiding his eyes.

"But…"

"Dolce, I'm fine!" she said as she struggled to get to her feet, where she stumbled greatly, her legs weak and throbbing painfully, the blood trickling onto the dirt.

Dolce took her arm and put it around his shoulder before she could fall, holding her close with an aura that she'd never felt from him, so calm and mature.

"At least let me help! You can't possibly make it back to camp in this condition on your own!" he told her firmly, something she definitely wasn't used to. Was this really the Dolce she once knew? She remembered him being soft spoken, a real nervous wreck especially when it came to women – specifically Lenezma.

All the same, Len wanted to protest, but she knew it was true.

Once the big guy had finished off the wolves – even one that attempted to run – he joined them and took up her other side, nearly lifting her completely off her feet. At this point, it was very much welcomed; the wounds in her legs were causing more pain as time went on, the throbbing almost unbearable as the blood dripped from her dangling feet, clearly marking their trail as they began to walk…

"… Camp?"

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Back at the mansion, Sesshomaru had just walked into his room. He'd been out the whole afternoon tracking down demon after demon. Before he even got a chance to sit down on his bed, however, he could hear the girls bickering down the hall…

"Kikka! Lord Sesshomaru just returned!"

"He did?"

"Yeah, I just saw him! Come on, let's go tell him!"

"I don't know… He kinda scares me…"

"Don't be scared! He wouldn't do anything to you! Come on!"

He could hear them running towards the room. Hmm… that was strange. If Kikka was looking for him it must be important. Ever since she and Lenezma arrived, he and Kikka had never really been around each other except on a few occasions when she'd follow Rin or Sesshomaru would find her with Len.

Rin began to knock on his door. Now he knew something was up. "Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru! We have something important to tell you!"

Sesshomaru opened the door and stared down at the half-pints, silent. No wonder Kikka was so scared of him…

"Go ahead," Rin nudged Kikka, as she stared up at him with obvious fright.

Sesshomaru knelt down, making himself just a little taller than the girls, hoping it might make her feel less intimidated. "What is it?" he prompted gently, knowing she'd sit and stare in silence if he didn't get things started.

"Well, uh, Leny, every once in a while, she goes through this change and turns into a real human,"

"All demons like her do that."

"Yeah, well, she only does it on certain full moons. And, I don't know how, but usually I can tell when it's going to happen,"

"So you're saying you feel it right now?" he asked casually. It was something all half-demons went through, why was she bringing it up with him?

"Yeah, and I'm scared, because I haven't seen Leny at all!"

A slight pause followed.

"She's not home yet?"

He watched as both Rin and Kikka shook their heads no. _Then…_

Sesshomaru stood up and walked past them, leaving his door wide open behind him. The girls watched as he walked down the hall and towards the darkening outside, a storm brewing.

"I'm going to get her."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"I can't believe you set up camp on a cliff!" Lenezma grumbled as they helped her up the tiny mountain path.

"It keeps us out of reach of demon noses," Kireaji, the other man, explained.

According to Dolce, Kireaji was a demon slayer he'd found that agreed to train Dolce to use the sword and help him find Lenezma. What neither of them explained to her yet was how Dolce survived all those weeks ago. She may not have stuck around to see the massacre, but found it hard to believe that someone besides herself had managed to escape – she ran like hell with demonic strength and was still tracked down with ease.

"We were lucky to find the place so early off in our search for you," Dolce said proudly just as they reached the top. They helped her over to the side of the cliff where they found a cavern nook that seemed to go back pretty far, large enough to stand in with a slight elevation upwards, as well.

"Mmm… Looks homey," she mumbled as they took her in.

"For being covered in blood, you sure aren't too worried," Kireaji commented. He didn't think anything of it, of course, he just noticed with mild curiosity.

"Uh, sorry," she apologized as she realized she _was_ taking this pretty lightly. "I guess I just have a high tolerance to pain. My sour sense of humor will outlast me any day,"

It was strange, she came to notice, that as a human, she took her assault rather well, while she had been much more affected as a demon the last time she'd been badly injured. Then again, the shadows had heavily poisoned her and were on a different level compared to the wolves.

They set her down against the wall near the back of the cave, deciding to let her rest while Dolce got a fire started and Kireaji kept a lookout.

Without even thinking, Lenezma tried to start the fire with her mind, but when nothing happened, she felt her whole body cringe.

After Dolce got the fire going, he came over and sat near Lenezma, pulling the pack from his back where he retrieved several rolls of bandages and some medicinal herbs to place upon the wounds. "We really should get you cleaned up," he offered kindly, a warm smile on his face as he held out his hand for her to take…

But he was shot down yet again.

"Don't worry about it. The wounds are mostly sealed and the bloods not flowing anymore," she replied coldly, avoiding his eyes.

"Maybe, but those are some serious wounds! At least allow me to wrap them!" he pleaded, tapping back into his old self.

"… I can do it myself."

"But…"

"Please Dolce. All that needs to be done are my legs and arms, everything else is fine, I promise!"

Dolce stared at her a moment, shaking with apprehension, almost ready to give up peacefully before his new persona took over and his sensitive eyes transformed into sharp glares. He threw the bandages almost roughly at her, surprising her greatly; "Fine."

She watched as he walked over and sat next to the fire, partly turning his back to her. "You know, I never got it! I never got why you always treated me like dirt!" He glared back at her, "All I've ever done was try and please you, make you and Kikka feel more welcomed, but all you ever did was push me away!"

"Dolce…"

"Why? Why didn't you at least give me a chance? That's all I've ever wanted from you, yet you never even gave me that!"

Lenezma looked down at the bandages in her hands. It was true. She had treated him that way ever since she came to live with them, she had just… never thought about it. And he was just now bringing it out, after she had treated him like total crap even after he came all the way out here to find her. He saved her life and still she pushed him away…

"Dolce?"

"… What?" he glanced back to see her sitting there, holding the bandages out with a look of regret.

"I'm sorry. I do need help."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru arrived at the meadow he'd seen her at this morning. He approached the lone tree and began sniffing around. Kikka was right. He could smell Lenezma as well as a human's scent. He began following the human trail into the forest.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

After Dolce helped with wrapping her arms, she still insisted on doing her legs on her own, which his old self easily agreed to with a touch of red in his cheeks. Afterwards they both sat next to the fire in awkward silence.

"Dolce… How did you survive? I thought everyone was killed,"

"After you and Kikka ran off, that's when the onslaught started: a huge inferno just mowed everyone down! Shiko and I tried to follow you…"

"Shiko?" Len interrupted quickly, shocked to hear her name. "She made it too?"

"Yes. You had yelled for us to run and then that fire attacked everyone; we barely managed to escape into the trees with our lives, but we couldn't find any trace of you or Kikka. In the end, we somehow managed to find our way out of the forest safely and go back to the mansion.

"As soon as the sun was up, my conscience wouldn't allow me to just leave everyone out there like that, so... I returned to give them all a proper burial… but, I never found you or Kikka; I just knew you had to still be alive!"

_He went back to the mansion? That must be how everyone in town knew about what happened. He must've left before I returned for the clothes…_

"But what about you? How did you survive in that forest? And get that new kimono?" he inquired, finding this much more vital than his lucky escape.

"Uh, well…" she faded uneasily as she looked at Dolce. The look in his eyes just desperately asked for the truth; _I just won't tell him the whole truth._ "Well, after a miserable night of finding an exit, we got terribly lost. We were lucky enough to happen upon a house nearby and the owner was kind enough to let us stay in his home,"

"Really? Oh... So... he took care of you two?" he asked softly, his voice faint as his eyes revealed a hint of melancholy.

"Yes, him and his… er, servants. They were kind enough to supply Kikka and I with some new clothing… As for what happened today, I traveled too far out into the woods. I tried getting back, but I was attacked by those wolves,"

Dolce smiled, "I guess we got lucky then. We only arrived two days ago," he met her gaze once again, breaking her heart as she stared into his serenely sad eyes.

"Uh, Lenezma… before we go any further, I have to ask you something, it's really important…"

Thunder boomed outside, the soft trickle of rain echoing in the cave.

Her heart began to lurch, so many horrible possibilities running through her head of what might come out of his mouth next, none of them leading to an easy answer…

"What happened to your scars? The ones that crossed your face?"

For an instant, Len simply sat and stared. She'd completely forgotten about it, those horrible scars that had protected her in that hellish place for more than two years. It certainly wasn't any of the things that she was sure he'd ask, but it was just as hard to answer without explaining the whole truth. If she was going to reveal her secret it wouldn't be now nor for a while, holding it off as long as possible.

"Oh, Dolce. Those scars… they were just fakes."

"What?"

"Through use of several herbs and make-up, I was able to reproduce the gashes that I received that night a couple of years ago… The way it happened is completely true," she added fiercely, "but the cuts were healing. I realized what power they had and decided to keep them around in order to keep from becoming some sex slave like the others!" she finished sternly, a harsh glare in her brown eyes.

"So?" she went on, noting the sympathetic gleam in his eyes. "Would you rather I didn't? That I closed my mind and gave in? Would you rather I became a whore?"

"No! Of course not! I never wanted that life for any of you! I watched that life change perfectly wonderful women into drones long before you came along! But what could I do? None of my efforts ever made any affect on my parents' thoughts or actions…" he faded helplessly, remembering the countless attempts he'd made for them to ease up on the slaves… on Lenezma… all in vain.

"Lenezma, I don't blame you for what you did! I just… I just don't see why you couldn't tell me!"

"Dolce, it had nothing to do with you! I couldn't risk anyone knowing the truth! _Kikka_ only found out on accident! Dolce, there are things about me that… that you wouldn't understand… I couldn't risk telling anyone for fear that it might slip out. You must understand, I have my reasons for not telling you."

And with that, the subject was dropped. Dolce looked as if he wanted to ask more, to inquire deeper about her final answer, but doubted she'd tell him the truth. His instincts were right.

Instead, they both gazed out through the cave entrance where the sun's last rays were filtered gray by the overcast, the rain trickling down softly.

"Good… the forest has needed rain for a while now…" Len muttered to herself, receiving a grin from her old friend.

"Hmm… You always were more interested in your plants than other people, weren't you?"

Lenezma hesitated, turning away from him rather hastily.

"What can I say? I love to garden… And this whole forest has been one big paradise for me. I've spent almost every day out in those trees and fields, running to my heart's content, free in the wind… It's made me so incredibly happy I can't help but feel joyous during its time of elation."

"So… Is that why you didn't leave this man? Come back to town?"

Len's peaceful spark clouded almost instantly at these words, her body trying not to appear too angry at the thought. "There was nothing to go back to. That was never my home, just a prison. We never asked to live that life and your parents abused us!"

"I know they did, and I even tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen,"

"You're right, and they're dead now because of their arrogance!" she growled, her hatred towards them resurfacing.

"And it's their fault! I understand that, but there's nothing we can do about it now!"

Suddenly he moved incredibly close, taking her hand into his own with a hopeful gleam in his eyes: "Lenezma! I'm just going to say it and get this off my chest right now!"

Her fears returned almost instantly.

"Come back with us! I want you and Kikka to come back with me to Kireaji's village and live with me! What do you say?"

Her heart beat painfully as he practically begged. "Dolce…"

"There are plenty of forests and streams to play at, and room to garden all you want! And Shiko is there! She'd be so thrilled to see you guys again! Oh, please say you will!" he begged and pleaded, pouring his heart out to her without actually admitting his undisclosed – yet obvious – love for her.

Lenezma could only stare into his hope-filled eyes for so long before dropping them heavily to her lap, away from the fire and Dolce. She didn't want to hurt him – that was the last thing she ever wanted to do. But… could she really leave with him? Go to this village and live in peace like the last couple of months never happened?

If she left with him, he would surely grow more attached and ask for her hand in marriage. Dolce was a sweet guy and, after maturing under Kireaji's guidance, one she knew would protect her at all costs.

But was she really that kind of girl? Going off to live with and marry a man who protected her from the rest of the world?

Not only that, but how would he react once the full moon was over? Realizing someone has been deceiving you for years is a hard truth to accept – the look in her step-father's eyes when she revealed her demonic secret had thoroughly frightened him before she'd even started attacking.

She glanced at her damaged hands as they fidgeted nervously in her lap, her eye being drawn to her partially wrapped wrist… she could see two of the imprints left by Sesshomaru's claws…

Lenezma sighed.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru stood at the battleground where the wolves attacked Lenezma. The small pool of blood left by Lenezma had affected him rather strangely, tearing at his chest. It felt like he had failed to protect her as a human; he practically had a job to guard the human girls in his home, and right now she applied.

But at the same time, he felt infuriated that two more humans were in his forest – two humans that were absolutely not allowed, even if they did appear to have saved her.

The only thing left now was to follow their trail before the rain washed their scents away, even though the smell of blood was still strong.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Kireaji came sulking into the cave, soaking wet and carrying two large dead rabbits by their hind legs, "Dinner,"

Kireaji sat near the entrance of the cave, skinning them before setting them over the fire. In the meanwhile, Dolce and Lenezma sat in silence near the fire. She never answered him.

_"I won't make you answer me now, but at least consider it,"_ he had told her comfortingly.

She had no intentions of answering him now, she was still too preoccupied with the changing.

"So… about this man you've been staying with…" _He's no man. He's a demon. Pure demon…_ "How old is he? Is he older than you?"

"What? Oh yeah, _much_ older," she replied with a smile. Sure, she didn't technically know his age, but judging by all of his wisdom and power, she figured he was pretty damned old.

_That's good…_ Dolce told himself, telling him there was a less likely chance that she'd grown fond of the man who rescued her from the wilderness. To think that she had fallen for this man is what scared him the most, explaining the unnatural silence and hesitation in Lenezma's reply to his proposal. _Just to make sure, I'd better ask some more questions…_

"What's he like?"

"Well… he's very quiet. He's not shy, just doesn't like to talk. And he always has this blank expression…"

"You said he had followers; what are they like?"

"Well, one's a short little man with a loud mouth. Just can't get him to shut up sometimes, but he's very helpful around the house and much nicer than he lets on," she replied, taking into consideration how mildly pleasant and understanding he was when teaching them about herbs and in their literary lessons.

"The other is… uh… his daughter. Adopted, of course! She's about Kikka's age and is really sweet. You just can't separate them sometimes," she smiled warmly, reminiscing on all the happy smiles and the giggles shared between them. She'd thought it millions of times before now, but the same thought always floated back to her: "I've never seen Kikka so happy before…"

"Oh… that's good to hear…" he mumbled half-heartedly. He knew that was a sign against him, Lenezma's first priority had always been Kikka. "And have you been happy there as well?" he asked, already discouraged.

"I guess so. I don't hate it, if that's what you're referring to. I've actually learned a lot by staying there…"

Kireaji came back to them, still a little wet, holding the ready-to-cook rabbits on a stick. He sat directly across from them and held the stick over the fire, letting the meat cook.

"Well, no bad news to report except that the storm will probably last all through the night," Kireaji spoke up after an eerie silence arose. "Some good news is that we've secured our objective," he smiled at Lenezma, "the blood trail has washed away, there are no demons nearby, and we've got a nice meal to eat in our lovely abode," he grinned, taking a whiff of the wonderful aroma that the cooking meat let off.

"So, why did you agree to help Dolce?" she asked Kireaji.

"I felt pity I guess," he shrugged lightly. "You should have seen how greatly he wanted to come out here to find you and your sister,"

"Hey! You said you wouldn't mention that!" Dolce cried quickly, his face flushing in an instant.

"No, you told me not to talk about the part where you were on your kne-"

"Shush!" he snapped. He turned quickly to Lenezma, a sudden mischievous glint in his eyes: "If you really want to know why he agreed, it's because I promised to help him hook up with Shiko!"

"You little weasel!"

Lenezma laughed at the exchange. "Since you _did _help rescue me out there, I can tell you for sure that she is a hopeless romantic. The simplest of gestures could make that woman swoon."

"Hmm..." Kireaji's mind started reeling, wondering what little things he could try to spark her interest.

Len chuckled at his moment of deep thought. "So tell me, are you an actual demon slayer?" she inquired, partly a genuine curiosity, partly concern over the damage he could do – especially if she were to remain in their company until the spell wore off.

She'd never met a real demon slayer before, only hearing of them, but she'd heard tales of brutality that froze the blood.

"No, but I might as well be. I have common knowledge on all sorts of weapons, and all I've been doing lately is slaying demons,"

"What village did you say you were from, exactly?" she asked, hoping to remember to avoid the place while in demonic form.

"It's just a small place southwest of here, next to some mountains and a river. Nice, peaceful little place, really,"

"Yet you grew up on violence?"

"I was born in a town that survived only because of the people's strength and weapons. But after I met Dolce here, and he explained his request, I figured it would at least put my skills to some good and I'd be able to teach him about using a sword as well,"

"I noticed he used one against those wolves. Apparently you're not doing too bad, before he could barely kill a fly,"

Dolce sulked and Kireaji chuckled at him while Len simply kept a smile on. Her eyes flashed down the tunnel towards the entrance, positive she saw a shadow move. She stared for a moment, and just as she thought she was seeing things, she saw two, golden reflections showing off the fire's glow.

Her heart quickened. She saw it again. Lightning flashed outside, revealing the outline of an eerie shadow.

Both Dolce and Kireaji noticed her stunned expression and looked down the tunnel as well. When Kireaji had moved to the side, the fire's glow was allowed to shine down, revealing a strange creature in white.

_Sesshomaru! _Lenezma gasped.

Kireaji set the rabbit down and grabbed at his two swords, standing, "Who are you?" he ordered.

Sesshomaru stepped closer into the light, revealing himself, the flames dancing in his eyes. He remained silent, of course.

Kireaji prepared his swords and began walking towards him, confidently. Sesshomaru stared at the foolish human, death in his eyes. Lenezma could see a slight green aura beginning to form around his hand.

"No!" she shouted and got to her feet as quickly as possible, stumbling at first, but ignoring the pains in her legs.

"No! Wait!" Dolce shouted at Lenezma, fearful for her life, but she went on, struggling to hobble towards them before falling painfully to her knees.

Sesshomaru watched her feeble attempts in the corner of his eye as his hand raised menacingly, ready to swipe at them with the whip in full force, destroying this useless human.

"No, stop!" she yelled despite Dolce's attempts to pull her away by the shoulders. Kireaji and Sesshomaru held their ground in a standoff. Lenezma saw the wicked gleam in his golden eyes; "Sesshomaru! Don't!"

"Sesshomaru?" both Kireaji and Dolce muttered under their breaths, only Dolce left clueless as his grip on her shoulders lightened. He gazed up curiously at the white demon; he had no clue how she knew him, nor did Kireaji, but Kireaji at least knew who he was dealing with now. He'd heard stories of a demon by that name, and none were pleasant…

"Please stop! It's me! Lenezma!"

Sesshomaru – not completely recognizing her and nearly forgetting his true purpose out here – stared her down inquisitively. His disapproval of the intruding humans had clouded his mind during the entire mountain climb, but simply seeing her there made the emerald aura fade.

Sesshomaru began scanning over her, sniffing the air to catch the familiar scent and taking notice to the multiple, bloody bandages. He stared into her deep hazel eyes… His arm lowered slowly back down to his side as he stood tall, his head a few inches from the roof.

Dolce's eyes widened. It was starting to become clear to him, but it still confused him greatly. None of this made any real sense…

Lenezma, using the wall to support her in standing, turned to Kireaji quickly, "Please, put your swords away! I don't want to see you get killed!" Kireaji, reluctant and confused, did as she said and backed away; Sesshomaru apparently wasn't going to hurt her.

"Lenezma…" Dolce called, bewilderment clear in his voice. He stood up and walked towards them slowly, stopping just as he got in front of Kireaji, who continued to back away slowly. Dolce got a little closer, continuously glancing back and forth between her and this strange demon.

"Dolce… I have to tell you something," she began to say, scaling the wall very slowly towards Sesshomaru, her body threatening to collapse at any minute.

"Lenezma… Who is this?"

"This… is Sesshomaru: the ruler of the Western Plains and the land we're standing on right now," she turned to him softly, leaning her back against the wall for a break.

"Is he… Don't tell me he's the one you've been living with?"

"… Yes, he is," her eyes glanced down to the floor.

"But why? He's a demon!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hands semi-gently.

"Yes, I know that! But Dolce, that's one reason I can't return to the rest of the world with you," she tried to explain.

"What are you talking about?" His eyes gradually widened: "Don't tell me you and him…?"

"No! No, no, no, no! Don't even say that! I've been hearing that too often! There is no me and him!"

Sesshomaru was silent as he stared at them, growing impatient.

"Then why?" he asked again, desperate to keep her. He'd tried so hard to find her, he just couldn't lose her now! "Please, Lenezma! Stop this madness and come back with me! You and Kikka will be safe there and…"

"Please, Dolce! Just stop! I don't want to make this any harder on you than it already it is!"

And with a cold shake of the head he explained to her that "It's too late for that…

"Just stop all of this and tell me! If it's not him, then why won't you come with me?"

"Because I don't belong there! I belong in a different world…"

He eyed her carefully, his eyes trembling as he grew closer to the truth. "Wh… what are you talking about?"

"Dolce… I'm a demon."

Kireaji and Dolce stared at her in complete shock, gawking at her with unknowing faces. "Wh… What?" Dolce stammered.

"I'm a demon! I always have been! I've just kept my identity from everyone! Only Kikka knew about it."

"You've been a demon all this time? … Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's like what I told you earlier, Dolce: there are things about me that I could never share! What do you think would have happened if it got out that I was a demon? What would have happened to _Kikka_ as a result?"

Dolce just stared into her eyes, his heart and soul hoping and praying she'd come out saying 'I'm just kidding! Of course me and Kikka will come back with you!' … But it never came; only sadness… only truth.

Her sympathetic eyes only proved how serious she was, and her head shook dejectedly; "Don't you see Dolce? This kind of reaction is exactly why I couldn't tell you…"

But he wouldn't take it… he couldn't understand! "No… that just can't be… If you're a demon then prove it! Why didn't you defend yourself against those wolves?"

"Because I can't! Not now anyway. I'm only _half_-demon, and half-demons turn into complete humans at certain times… and I won't revert back to a demon for several more days,"

Dolce was silent. He was trying to think of something, that much was clearly written all over his face, but nothing came to mind, he just held her hands even tighter, trying to hold back his outbursts.

His eyes stared desperately into hers, his head shaking defiantly, his grip tightening as he mumbled incoherently. It wasn't real… it couldn't be! He'd finally found her! How could this have happened? It just couldn't be true!

"Come Lenezma," Sesshomaru spoke for the first time, idly standing by, listening to all of this. He didn't know what _exactly_ was going on, but he'd find out later. "We must be going,"

"I'm sorry Dolce, but I must leave now…"

She removed her hands from his and, after feeling complete sorrow for him, gave him one, quick hug. "It was good to see you, though…" she whispered to him as she began backing away, fighting the pain in order to walk to Sesshomaru strongly, with pride intact.

Dolce could do nothing but stare, a tear coming to his eye as one hand reached out for her… but she kept walking away.

"Good-bye Dolce… Kireaji…"

Lenezma turned and faced Sesshomaru who was already half-way turned. She limped up to him and he, too, began walking for the exit, Lenezma at his side, out into the rain.

Even without her demon senses, she could feel both Kireaji and Dolce staring at her as she left the cave, Dolce's tear running down his cheek like the rain that poured on her and Sesshomaru.

As soon as they reached the edge of the cliff, just outside the cave, Lenezma's strength failed, a knee collapsing beneath her. She dropped to her hands and knees in a gasp of pain, landing in a muddy puddle that splashed all over her.

Dolce instantly made a break for her.

_I don't care! I don't care if she's a demon! She's still Lenezma and I love her!_

"Dolce!" Kireaji's gruff voice shouted; Dolce stopped just as the sharp edge of the venomous whip danced at his feet threateningly, the white demon glaring dangerously.

He couldn't help it… he wanted to go to her! But that demon… that damned demon wouldn't let him near! If only he were strong enough he'd fight him – if that's what it took to win Lenezma, he would do it in a heartbeat!

"Don't," her voice called out, breaching the anger that swelled in Dolce's heart. Her hand had grabbed a portion of Sesshomaru's pants, meeting his eyes as she begged him once again to leave them alone.

Sesshomaru gazed down at her pitiful state for a moment longer, surprised by how much the transformation had actually changed her, and curious of her desire to protect these humans.

With the rain still pouring relentlessly upon them, undoubtedly making her condition worse, he gave in to her request; they had lingered far too long as it was, it was finally time for them to depart. However, Lenezma was simply in no condition to go on – if he let her be, she would surely fall to a messy death…

Dolce and Kireaji watched in slight awe as Sesshomaru knelt down beside her; Lenezma grabbed his shoulder for support, thinking he was merely trying to get her up and moving, but in one swift motion, he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her quite elegantly before turning back to the cliff's edge.

A horrible pain seared through the scrawny human's body as he watched in horrific heart-break:

She wasn't objecting.

She had clearly protested against him carrying her in such a way, and yet here was this demon, bearing her in his arms so naturally without so much as a peep… _Lenezma…!_

And just before they could reach the ledge, a thick mist emanating from Sesshomaru's feet, Dolce's threatening voice came echoing out to them, shouting with the most ferocious face he could ever hope to create:

"Don't you _dare_ touch her, Demon!"

Sesshomaru bestowed one last glare upon them, specifically the scrawny human who looked upon him with such an unpleasant stare, his blood no doubt boiling at the mere thought of Sesshomaru even laying a hand on her. But what he did with Lenezma was no one else's concern.

"She spared your lives. Get off my lands or be killed."

And with that, the misty cloud swirled thickly beneath them, sending them floating majestically just above the treetops all the way home in contemplating silence…

He glanced down at her curled figure, wanting to speak, but her face was buried in the thick of his fluffy, her body clinging to him for warmth. No, he wouldn't ask… not now anyway…

Lenezma was grateful for his silence. Besides the warmth and protection from the rain that the large boa offered, Len hid her face for other reasons.

Her heart was crying out in pain. The guilt she felt for everything she'd done to that poor man built up on her steadily, physically hurting her chest as the images of his pain bore into her, hearing the desperation in his voice as he so passionately fought to keep her, the betrayal he felt when she went to Sesshomaru, when she didn't tell him off like she'd done Dolce.

For the first time in weeks, Sesshomaru had to force himself to ignore Lenezma, not wanting to hear her sobs.

Had that man really meant so much to her? Sesshomaru couldn't help wondering if Lenezma, despite what she claimed, had seriously considered accompanying that human.

By the time they stepped off the cloud and approached the front door, both were completely drenched. As much as the forest needed the rain, just as Sesshomaru had predicted, the weather was really beginning to affect Lenezma, especially now that she was human.

"Wait, Sesshomaru," Lenezma spoke up for the first time, halting his entrance through the front door, dropping his gaze to meet hers peacefully. "Let me down… the girls won't be as worried if I come in on my own two feet."

There she went again, always worrying about others before herself.

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I should be," she replied easily, giving Sesshomaru the mind to let her do as she pleased. Rather gently, Sesshomaru slowly let her legs fall back to the ground, keeping a firm grip on her body until she proved she could walk decently enough.

"Ah, that's better," she mumbled to herself, rubbing a sensitive injury near her knees where Sesshomaru had been holding her.

His eyes narrowed softly. "You should have told me."

"Don't worry about it," she replied despondently, avoiding his eyes. "It was my punishment."

_Hmm_? Sesshomaru watched her curiously as she turned and opened the door, the light flooding out blindingly…

Upon entering the house, all three of the munchkins came running up to them in a panic.

"Leny! Where have you been? Are you all right?" Kikka called to her as she approached. "I got that weird feeling again! I was so worried about you!"

"I'm fine, Kikka. It was a bad time for the change, but I'm quite all right,"

"You're sopping wet! You need to come sit by the fire!" Rin told her as she grabbed her hand and began leading her down to the fire room. "Aren't you coming, too, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"I'm fine. Take care of Lenezma,"

"All right. Come on, Leny!" she said as she began leading her down the hall some more. "Jaken! Go make some hot tea for her!"

"Oh! Right!" Jaken snapped to attention and waddled to the kitchen as fast as he could.

Sesshomaru watched blankly as Lenezma was led down the hall by the two energetic girls, just watching her as more and more questions came to mind…

The girls led Len into the fire room where they sat her down next to the fire, which Rin vigorously stirred up for her.

"Is there anything we can get you, Leny?" Kikka asked.

"You're both so sweet… Can one of you go to my room and get my night clothes?"

"I will!" Kikka volunteered and rushed out of the room.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Uh… get me a blanket?"

Rin ran over to one of the cushions and picked up the same blanket she'd used just the night before.

"All right, when Kikka comes back with my clothes, I'll change first and then wrap up in that blanket, okay?"

"Okay! But… Just where were you? We never saw you once today!"

"I'm back!" Kikka cried as she entered, holding Len's clothes.

"That was quick!" Len smiled.

Jaken came waddling down the hall, holding a tray with a kettle of tea and a cup, but stopped just outside the door where Rin and Kikka were blocking the entrance.

"What are you doing? This is Lenezma's tea!"

"You can't go in!" said Kikka.

"Not until Leny's done changing!"

"It's all right, girls, he can come in now," Lenezma called.

Lenezma set the damp and shredded clothes in the corner of the room, now wearing her cozy and warm night clothes, which hid all her bandages. And, finding no other place to do so, she wrung her hair out on top of the wet clothes; she'd deal with them in the morning.

Rin and Kikka ran back into the room just as she sat down. They both went over and set the blanket around her shoulders, where she pulled it tightly around her.

Jaken waddled over and set the tray next to her, "Here is your tea, Lenezma,"

"Thank you, Jaken," she replied, pouring a cup. After just one sip, she felt alive again; the hot tea warmed her right up, almost burning her tongue it was so hot.

"So where were you all day?" Kikka asked.

And so, Lenezma told them. She told them about going out this morning, talking to Sesshomaru, and changing into a human. When it came to the aftermath, she told them she stayed in the meadow all day, hoping Sesshomaru would come back and find her to take her home, but when the storm came in, she left on her own. On her way home, she was attacked by the wolves, and Sesshomaru came to her rescue.

She didn't want Kikka to know that Dolce was alive, she didn't know how she would react. Luckily none of them asked how she got her bandages, so she didn't have to think of a cover up, but she did notice a curious gaze from the imp once or twice.

It was getting later and later in the evening. Jaken had already retired for the night after hanging her wet clothes up in the bathroom, but Kikka and Rin struggled to stay awake with Len.

"Kikka, Rin, go to bed! I'll be fine by myself!"

"Are you sure?" Rin asked.

"Yes. Now come here and give me a good night hug,"

Both of the girls walked over and gave her a hug, telling her good night before lazily sauntering off to bed.

It was well into the night when Sesshomaru entered the room, also warm and dry at this point. Lenezma was lying on the floor, covered in the blanket, using one of the floor cushions for a pillow. She was asleep. He assumed she didn't feel like leaving, deciding to sleep in here with the giant heater.

He silently walked to the other side of the fire from her and sat on one of the chairs, where he stirred the fire up a little, keeping it going. He began staring down into the flames, getting lost in his thoughts…

_"Lenezma… Who is this?"_

_"This… is Sesshomaru: the ruler of the Western Plains and the land we're standing on right now,"_

_"Is he… Don't tell me he's the one you've been living with?"_

_"… Yes, he is,"_

The image of him reaching out and taking her hands into his own flashed before his eyes.

_"Don't tell me you and him…?"_

_"No! … There is no me and him!"_

He remembered how strange it had felt when she said that, causing him to question himself; the image of her beneath him, and when he held her in his embrace…

_"Then why? …Stop this madness and come back with me!"_

Just who was that human?

_"I'm a demon! I always have been! I've just kept my identity from everyone! Only Kikka knew about it,"_

_"… Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"… there are things about me that I could never share!"_

He must have some acquaintance with Lenezma from the past, but from where? She said that he had killed everyone from the brothel.

_"I'm sorry Dolce, but I must leave now…"_

He remembered when she hugged him. It was just a small, quick hug, yet it still felt odd to watch, standing by as if he were invisible.

_"It was good to see you, though…"_

Yes, it was for sure they knew each other, but she never spoke of anyone such as him.

_"Don't you dare touch her, Demon!"_

"How long have you been there?"

Sesshomaru looked up from the flames, finding Lenezma awake and staring at him.

"Not long," he replied casually.

"Is it still raining out?"

"… Yes," he looked back into the flames.

"… Thank you,"

_Hmm?_ Sesshomaru looked back up at her, waiting for her to explain herself.

"Thank you for coming to get me. They wouldn't have understood if I asked to return to a demon's home, not to mention broken his heart worse than I already have..."

Now was the perfect time to ask.

"Who were they?"

"The big guy was Kireaji, he came to help find me. The other was Dolce… He was the son of the lord and lady."

Sesshomaru poked at the fire a bit without responding.

"He's… I guess you could say he's had a crush on me for a long time…"

Sesshomaru gazed up at Lenezma to find her staring at the floor. "And you?"

"I found him a burden. He continuously bugged me; I never found an interest in him. Sure he was sweet, but… I guess he was never mature enough for me… boy has he changed though…"

Sesshomaru went back to poking at the fires.

"Apparently he managed to escape the attack in the forest, trying to find Kikka and I, but got lost in the dark. He found his way home and buried everyone in the morning. Afterwards, he found Kireaji, who agreed to help him find me and Kikka, believing we were still alive…

"He wanted us to return to Kireaji's village with them… But I had no intention of returning to the human world. This place is my home now… This is Kikka's home…"

Sesshomaru slowly moved his gaze away from the fire, finding her eyes closed dreamily. She seemed so serene lying there, untouched…

He stood up silently and walked out the door, ignoring Len's good-night as she turned over on her other side.

_"This is my home now…"_

* * *

Kireaji = the sharpness of a sword


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen**

In the morning, Lenezma stepped outside to find it still pouring rain very heavily. She crept up to her room as silently as she could; her legs felt rested, but still throbbed with every other step. Once to her room, she grabbed one of the larger, nicer kimonos in hopes that it would provide extra warmth before going all the way back downstairs to the bathhouse.

Instead of taking a bath though, which would have been quite a hassle at this point, she simply used wet cloths to wash her wounds.

She had several deep gashes on her forearms, but most were casual cuts and scrapes. They were painful to wash, but it needed to be done before applying any medicinal ointments to help the healing and prevent infection. It helped to raise a human sister who was prone to cuts!

She washed the wraps before reapplying them as best she could; it wasn't exactly a simple task wrapping a limb with only one hand.

Her legs were easier even though more cut up than her arms. It was amazing how little they actually hurt when she walked around, but they were hurting worse than hell now that she was cleaning them.

Upon wrapping them back up, she brushed her hair and changed into her kimono, limping back up the stairs in order to return her night clothes to her room – she was starting to hate the long staircase between the upper and lower floor.

After all was done, she entered the kitchen and began making breakfast – she was absolutely starving; she hadn't eaten since before saving the deer from the monstrous wolf.

As for her activities for the day, nothing special happened. She played with the girls, who were extra careful with her due to her injuries, helped Jaken prepare the meals, never saw Sesshomaru… It was almost a normal morning.

Late afternoon, she stepped outside, staying in the corner of the bedroom hall, keeping a blanket wrapped around her shoulders to keep her warm against the wind. There was something rhythmic about the rain…

"You're still human."

Len looked back to find Sesshomaru approaching, walking over and standing nearby against the wall, also staring out at the rain.

"I won't be changing back for a while, I'm afraid. My transformation lasts several days; I thought you heard me last night?" Sesshomaru was silent. "Or I guess you weren't listening, ignoring what us feeble humans have to say," she smiled up at him, but he just glared down at her. She didn't care, she knew that's the way he thought. "My transformation will end when the moon is no longer full," she finished.

"So you still have about five days left,"

Len nodded. "Keep track of the moon?"

"No."

"…" Lenezma stared at the dirt as water began draining down the hill. "All this rain will be good for the yard,"

"As soon as the rain stops, we're heading out,"

"Out?"

"There are some demons collecting along the outer rims of the forest that need dealing with. I didn't want you to come along in your current form, but it can't be helped. I hope I can leave you in charge of taking care of the girls and Jaken,"

"Uh, but…"

"I know you don't have your usual abilities," he interjected lightly, "but if Rin has managed to take care of herself for these past years, you can do it,"

"Um, all right... How long are we out there?"

"Depending on the rabble we find, we should only be gone for a few days. But like I said, we won't head out until the rain is gone. I'll inform Jaken of it later, but make sure the girls know,"

"All right…" She stared at Sesshomaru for a moment, thinking…

"What?" he asked, noticing her stare.

"… Did you ever dry your clothes?"

"Hmm?" that wasn't what he'd expected.

"I just now noticed it, but you were wearing that when you brought me home, and you were just as wet as me; when did you dry your clothes?"

Sesshomaru turned around and walked back down the hall, entering his room and shutting the door behind him in silence.

Lenezma just watched and smiled at him, laughing.

The rain continued into the next day, but stopped that evening and showed no signs of starting up again. Sesshomaru had already come by and confirmed that they would leave in the morning.

Due to this, Rin suggested going to bed early so that they would be freshly energized for the long day ahead. So, before the evening got too late, the two girls said their goodnights before heading back to their room, leaving Jaken and Lenezma alone in the library – they were just finishing up their lessons.

"So, what goes on during these outings?"

"It's simple really: Lord Sesshomaru goes around killing all the nearby demons, I help, and you humans will stay with Ah-Un in case of an emergency."

"So in other words, we're just dead weight?"

"Exactly," he replied rather matter-of-factly. "By the way, when are you going to change back? Most half-demons only revert for a small time period, yet you have been human for three days now."

"I think it's because of how rarely I change. From what I've heard, a half-demon's transformation usually occurs every few weeks or so; but for me, I can go months without ever changing - I've even gone a year before. As a result, I stay human for several days. But once the full moon has passed, I'll be back to normal…"

Jaken glanced at her curiously, something obviously sitting on his tongue, but for once he had the mind not to speak. Lenezma, on the other hand, wanted to know – also a first.

"What?"

With a nervous fidget, Jaken's eye landed on her hands where several of the bandages wrapped around her fingers. "I've been wondering something ever since you came back with Lord Sesshomaru."

"What is it?"

"You claim that you were out in the fields all day before getting attacked and saved by Lord Sesshomaru…"

Len could already see where this was going. Frankly, she was surprised he had waited so long to bring it up.

"But that doesn't make any sense – you came home already bandaged up." He eyed her darkly, wanting the truth. "What _really_ happened out there?"

"Hmm… You're very perceptive," she smiled for a second before it faded dismally. "I ran as soon as I changed. I was hoping I'd make it back safely, but the wolves found me and tore up my arms and legs. I was saved, but not by Sesshomaru…

"When you and Sesshomaru killed all the people I once lived with, there were two others that managed to escape besides me, one being a man that always liked me. He tried to find me but never did. Still believing I was alive, he and a friend came looking for me, happening upon me at the perfect time. They took me to a cave where they'd made camp and fixed me up. It wasn't until after dark before Sesshomaru tracked me down and brought me back…"

"I see…" was all Jaken could think to say. He wasn't sure what to think about all of this, but certainly felt curious of how she felt. "So what happened with the humans? Surely something occurred!"

Dolce's pain filled eyes haunted her memories.

"You could say that… He… he wanted me to go back with him… to go back to his village and start a new life with him there…"

The imp double blinked at this comment, his eyes rather large even for him. He still found it hard to believe that someone could love a half-demon, whether she pretended to be human or not.

Her eyes closed subtly, "But I couldn't do that."

"… Oh?"

"No… I can't go back to that life, not after all that's happened. I no longer want to run and hide myself from the world… I'm part demon, and I've learned to use my powers and abilities – I can't just forget everything and go back to a life of nothingness! And besides, I couldn't bring Kikka from this place. She's so happy here it would take a miracle for me to tear her away… and sometimes I wonder if even I can leave…"

Jaken turned to her quickly at these words, staring with an unusual intensity.

"But please, promise me you won't tell Kikka about it!"

"Hmm? Why not?"

"Just don't; Kikka is very sensitive and was friends with the ones who survived… I don't know how I would handle her reaction…"

His eyes narrowed softly. "Tell me something… Does Sesshomaru know about all of this?"

"Of course he does!" she replied fervently. "I had to tell him… I owed it to him…" she faded softly as her eyes dropped back to the floor, ignorant of the imp's raised brow.

The toad's suspicions had been building up throughout the conversation, a nagging uncertainty sitting on the tip of his tongue until he could no longer hold back.

"Lenezma… What is he to you?"

Her gasp was loud and expected: "_What?_ I-I don't… I mean… Well, he's… Uh…"

"Let me tell you something right now, girl," his voice lowered almost threateningly, his reference to her as 'girl' revealing just how serious he was. "Do not get any foolish thoughts about Lord Sesshomaru into that small head of yours."

"Wh… what do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Lord Sesshomaru is a great and powerful demon who will one day dominate over all! He doesn't need any distractions and certainly doesn't need some woman trailing after him! If you're smart, you'll stay away from him…"

"But I…"

"If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your distance!" he interrupted quickly, intent on reinforcing the notion. "Lord Sesshomaru is a full blood dog demon, while you are a mere half-demon – of feline origins no less! Such a combination could never exist! It just wouldn't work."

Lenezma sat in silence as the imp stood to leave, warning her one last time before dismissing himself for bed. She didn't move for several moments, her eyes cast on the floor, considering everything Jaken had to say…

"It's not like that…" she faded almost helplessly. She knew at this point that Jaken wouldn't listen to anything she had to say, but felt she had to at least defend herself against his presumptions a little bit.

Sesshomaru wasn't like that… He was her mentor and even a bit of a friend to her – he'd done so much for her and saved her on several separate occasions, how could she not think fondly of him?

But the way Jaken talked about their relationship it was as if he thought there was more going on between them. But there wasn't!

… Was there?

That time out in the fields, when she'd woken up to Sesshomaru hovering over her, just seconds from kissing her… When he embraced her in the fire room, pressing his lips against hers ardently…

_Jaken's talking to the wrong person. If he doesn't want us to be together, he should be telling all this to Sesshomaru – HE was the one that started it all, that comes to me with such thoughts in mind…_

Her eyes slowly turned to the dying fire, the red coals glowing peacefully. On a whim, her eyes drew upwards towards the beautiful painting of Sesshomaru's mother, her eyes appearing to stare at her almost as cynically as Jaken's, as if the warmth drained from her after such a conversation took place.

She shook her head quickly, ridding herself of such thoughts before coming to a stand. Nonsense! If the painting had truly reacted, it was frowning on the wrong person! Lenezma had never even considered the dog demon, automatically marking him as 'off limits' since day one – even though back then, it was more out of fear and the words were 'keep distant.'

Pushing everything aside, Lenezma left the library in peace and returned to her room for the night…

In the morning, Lenezma opened her door to a knocking, finding Jaken standing there with some clothing in his hands. "Jaken?"

"Here!" he handed the clothes to her.

She took them and unfolded it, finding a small kimono that had been altered a bit: there were no sleeves and the bottom would just barely cover her knees.

"I figured it would be easier to use instead of those long kimonos you run around in!"

"Thank you! But where did you get it?"

"I merely made it out of the kimono that got torn up the other day,"

"I was wondering where that went… Well thank you, my other one was starting to get pretty torn up."

"I also came to tell you Lord Sesshomaru is ready to leave!"

"All right, I'll be down in a little while," Lenezma shut the door and changed into something she wasn't afraid to dirty. It was a simple, bronze color with no real designs; it covered her legs, but the sleeves had been torn off long ago; as said, it wasn't of any importance.

She peeked into the girls room to find them already gone, _Figures I'm the last to know!_

She walked down the stairs and around to the front door, feeling odd that her arms were so free, even though they were mostly covered by her bandages. They looked pretty awful, but she could care less.

She walked around to the front where Jaken and the girls were waiting for her by the door, and Sesshomaru was already standing out in the yard beside Ah-Un, watching them as they waited for Len's arrival.

"Leny!" the girls cried out at the same time upon seeing her.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized to all of them.

"Let's get going," Sesshomaru called to them, breaking their chatter instantly on this dismal day.

During the entire extent of the day, they walked, and walked, and walked some more, simply sitting by idly as Sesshomaru slew demons around them constantly, yet half of them they never knew were even there. Lenezma felt the worse, as she was unable to help him, stuck in this human form. It made her feel miserable that she was unable to sense the most obvious of demons, too.

That evening, all of them were relieved to finally stop walking, especially Lenezma, whose legs were throbbing unbearably. They stopped in a small space with extremely tall trees towering over them on all sides. They had a simple scavenged dinner while Sesshomaru continued to hunt down demons in the area.

It grew chilly in the night, and the girls were huddled together for warmth against the belly of the large dragon, Lenezma sitting off to the side so that the girls stayed warm between the fire and Ah-Un without her to make the situation difficult.

They had brought one small blanket, which they used to cover themselves; Jaken refused to sleep next to the humans and slept on the opposite side of the small, but sufficient, fire, Lenezma sleeping in between the two parties. She had meant to allow the girls full use of Ah-Un's warmth, but the dragon himself apparently had different views.

Not long after she had laid down, a warm breath blew in her face, finding Un stretching his neck as far as he could to reach her. Len smiled and pet him for his companionship before scooting closer.

In the end, both heads surrounded her as she slept, her body curled up against his chest and the nape between their necks, cuddling into them fondly.

Sesshomaru, on the other hand, separating himself from the rest, sat at the top of one of those tall trees, keeping a trained eye on his followers as he stay alert for demons all night long…

In the morning, Jaken collected what vegetation he could find for breakfast before Sesshomaru got them on the move again. It was pretty much mute the entire time they walked, remaining silent so that Sesshomaru wouldn't have to listen over their voices, only their rare groans and stomachs.

Like the day before, it was dark and cloudy, but tonight it actually began to rain. But that didn't stop Sesshomaru, he just kept walking forward; Lenezma had finally had enough.

She ran up behind him determinedly: "Sesshomaru! We need to get out of the rain!"

Sesshomaru stopped his walk and turned to look down upon her, silent as he stared intensely.

"It's not good for the girls to be in this kind of weather! They could get sick!"

"… All right. We'll stop for the night." Sesshomaru actually didn't like going through the rain either, but found no reason to stop. Len managed to convince him though, seeing the shivering faces of the girls; Rin was coughing horribly, a discouraging sight after she had just recovered from her cold several weeks ago.

Len gave a slight bow in thanks before returning to Jaken, Ah-Un, and the girls. She led them over to a thick patch of trees where they could find strong shelter from the weather and wind, but were unable to build a fire. The only thing for dinner was the wild berries they had found earlier and collected for such a moment.

As night came upon them, it grew very cold, so cold even Jaken came over and joined Rin and Kikka under the blanket against Ah-Un's side, who curled tightly around them beneath a very large and thick tree.

Len on the other hand, was freezing. Like before, the two heads of the dragon had wrapped around her in what way they could, but little warmth was provided as she sat curled up in their midst, her arms held between her legs and chest to keep warm, her teeth chattering restlessly.

_Damn it's cold! I'm freezing my rear off! I know this kimono is good for these kinds of things, but not for this kind of weather! I just couldn't find a similar kimono with sleeves, could I? Nooooo, that'd put luck on my side! … Hmm?_

Lenezma looked over at another tree where she found Sesshomaru sitting down under its thick branches and leaves, cross-legged, staring out at… something. She found it strange that she hadn't even noticed him there until now, the mist relatively thick all around them. He looked so secluded, keeping his distance from the rest of them. _I'll fix that!_

Ah grumbled peacefully as she tapped him lightly, raising his head in order for her to slip out of their circle; Ah's dark eyes watched in slight confusion, wondering what she could possibly be doing…

Lenezma stood up and crossed over to Sesshomaru's tree, staying under thick cover as she made her way over. The dog demon knew she was coming towards him, but merely ignored her presence and continued to stare down the small path ahead of him, the scent of demon all over it.

Lenezma approached easily before sitting down beside him, curling up again to keep warm. She looked over at him, but he just continued to stare, unaffected by her presence.

"What are you doing way over here?"

"That path… I can smell demons all around it," he replied, her eyes following his view to the trail they had been traveling on, the fog preventing her from seeing very far into the black abyss that followed.

"Oh… So that's why you wanted to keep going…" Len faded.

It was silent for a moment when Sesshomaru turned to look at her, still staring down the path, catching the solemn expression in her eyes.

"You're shivering," he observed. He placed the back of his hand against her arm and Len jumped with surprise.

"Damn! You're warm!" she grabbed his hand and put the back of it to her cheeks, warming them up while freezing Sesshomaru's hand in return.

"Why don't you try to keep warm with the others?"

She slowly released him as she shook her head lightly; "It doesn't really matter if I get sick, I'll be demon in two days anyway. Besides, it's not that bad out once you get used to it," she lied subtly. She meant her first sentence, but the second was merely for show.

"Then why do you sit so close?"

Len's eyes looked away at this comment, realizing just as he spoke how much she was snuggled against him, her body instinctively craving warmth.

His eyes narrowed slightly, "The return of your powers doesn't mean you have to risk death before then,"

Lenezma was silent as Sesshomaru got to his feet. He had a point, but she didn't care: as long as Kikka and Rin were safe and warm, that's all she cared about.

Suddenly a large, _very_ warm and soft object came down on her shoulders. She glanced around to find Sesshomaru putting the large, fluffy boa around her. She grabbed it and curled up with it, putting it around her shoulders, draping it around her arms, warming herself up incredibly fast.

Sesshomaru began walking away from her, into the rain, but stopped for a moment, "Just remember: as long as you're human, you should take care of yourself as you do Rin and Kikka."

He continued to walk down the path, sensing a demon coming towards them.

Len watched him as he walked off into the mist, feeling moved by his words. Did he actually care?

She curled up even more with the fluffy, becoming quite comfy and even sleepy as she sat there. Before it got any worse, she stood and returned to Ah-Un so that she may once again lie beside them.

Ah waited patiently for her to return, giving her room to settle once again before resting his head on her lap. With the fluffy wrapped mostly around her upper half, she rubbed her cheek into it like a pillow, and fell into a quiet slumber, the fresh sound of rain soothing her.

From his concealed spot, Sesshomaru watched her fall asleep, actually feeling a twinge of guilt for putting her and the others through this.

It was true, demons had begun to swarm the far reaches of his domain, areas he did not frequently traverse, and had it not been for Lenezma's revert, he had thought about leading her here to assist him, leaving the others at the manor.

But now, in her human state, he didn't feel it wise to leave her behind, not when it seemed apparent that the wolves were keeping their third eyes on her. Who was to say they wouldn't try and attack her and the girls if he had left them behind? Jaken and Ah-Un were only so much help.

And so, with few options, he brought them with, allowed to protect his domain while keeping an eye on his followers…

She awoke several hours later, the rain gone and the overcast parting, the sun not even above the trees yet. She looked around, squinting her eyes to try and see better in the dark, a thin mist still floating across the forest floor. The girls and Jaken were still sleeping, Jaken snoring away. Was Sesshomaru back yet?

It was then that she noticed Ah's head was raised, staring off into the distance with ears perked. She sat up slowly in order to follow his gaze, but could see nothing.

Un also seemed to be awake, trying to look around without disturbing Rin or Kikka.

Edgily, she stood up slowly and began walking around a little, glancing here and there for some sign of Sesshomaru. She kept the boa close, keeping her arms and a little bit of her legs warms as it dangled from around her neck, almost feeling secure just by having it with her.

As she roamed idly in a circle, Lenezma grew nervous. It was extremely quiet, not even the sound of birds filled the air, nor did the wind blow through the trees. She felt… watched. Her heart began to race as she looked around cautiously…

Ears pinned back and eyes narrowed.

Sesshomaru, not far off, walked about idly, stopping to listen, to smell. There was a demon nearby… but where? He couldn't pinpoint its exact location, the fresh scent of demon all around him. Where was it?

Just then a light gasp rang in his ears; fear began to swell the air around him, recognizing the following vicious growls … Sesshomaru dashed through the trees.

Lenezma stood frozen as she caught sight of a shadow demon creeping through the trees and bushes, his hungry blood red eyes flaring, giving away his position in the dark as he growled with delight at his soon to be breakfast.

Lenezma took a step back, her hands gripping the fluffy with pure fear, her hands shaking with anxiety.

Both of the dragon's heads were up, growling threateningly at the enemy, but the shadow didn't seem to even notice.

The black beast crouched down and suddenly thrust itself into the air, straight for Lenezma. Her eyes grew wide and another gasp escaped her breath as the dark creature came straight at her… but disappeared. She began to breathe again and looked around. _It vanished… But, I thought I saw…_

Lenezma turned to walk ba- "Sesshomaru!" she gasped, finding him standing right behind her, looking down upon her with those piercing golden eyes, appearing as if he'd been standing there for several minutes.

"Are you all right?"

"Uh… yeah, I guess so," _I shouldn't be so surprised that it was Sesshomaru who zoomed by, destroying the shadow._

"And the girls?"

"They're okay; I think it only saw me,"

Sesshomaru gave a half nod, and did his usual, 'be quiet and stare' routine. He liked to do that to her, didn't he? Did he truly like to intimidate her like this? But what about the fluffy? He obviously cared about her health… The fluffy!

"Oh!" Lenezma removed the boa from around her neck and handed it back to him gently, "Here's your fur back… Thank you for letting me use it, it was very warm,"

Sesshomaru took the boa and merely held it as he continued to stare at her in silence, and she stared back less firmly.

Both turned their heads as a flock of crows escaped a large tree quickly, squawking their little heads off. Something was nearby.

Sesshomaru turned back to Lenezma, "Excuse me," he spoke politely before running off into the trees. Hmm… unusual.

Lenezma stepped lightly as she returned to the tree where Ah and Un were waiting, nuzzling her gently as she came into reach. She pet them affectionately, whispering her thanks to them as she glanced down to check on Jaken and the girls, who didn't seem to have been disturbed by the early morning encounter. But as she soon came to realize, one was actually awake, just starting to stir and rub her eyes.

"Good morning!" she called cheerily.

"Oh, hi Leny…" Rin glanced over sleepily. "Did something happen? Ah-Un was acting weird…"

"Don't worry about it, everything is all right," she grinned softly, but Rin seemed awfully down compared to usual. "Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh, no!" she replied quickly before dropping her gaze again; "I'm fine, I just had a bad dream, that's all…"

"Oh? Do you want to talk about it?" Lenezma asked tenderly, settling down beside her and the dragon.

"I can't really remember it, just the faces; and I felt something… bad about to happen,"

"So who were they? The ones in your dream?"

"Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken were there, but I don't know the other four. One was as tall as Lord Sesshomaru, one had wings, and another wore black… and they even had a large pet cat!"

"So you don't remember anything besides that?"

Rin shook her head no. "Only faces, and that weird feeling something was going to happen. I just hope it doesn't mean something bad will happen to Lord Sesshomaru!"

"And what about Jaken?" Len smiled.

Rin glared down at the green imp for a moment, "Oh, I guess I want him to be okay too!" she chuckled. "Hey, Leny? We're like sisters, right?"

"Of course!" Len smiled.

Hearing her say that so easily brightened Rin up in an instant. She had no _real_ family, her parents and brothers had been killed by thieves right in front of her. When she was allowed to stay in a village, she even watched as wolves mowed them all down. Ever since Sesshomaru revived her that was her family: Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jaken – and Ah-Un, of course! She loved Sesshomaru and Ah-Un – and even Jaken a little – but now there was more to her family! And they were both like sisters to her!

"Good! And we'll always be together, won't we?"

"Well…" Len muttered before she thought.

Rin stared at her, starting to lose hope. Was there something wrong? Did Leny not like this family?

"Rin, you're a big girl and I think I can say this to you honestly: I may not always live here in Sesshomaru's home,"

"Why not?"

"Because I need to go out on my own at some point. I can't just stay here, hiding from the world forever. I need to go out and have a life – I'd like to see new places and meet new people, maybe fall in love and raise a family… that kind of thing."

Rin shook her head fretfully, unwilling to let her new family fall apart. She wanted Len to stay! "… Well, what about Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Wh… What do you mean?" Lenezma stuttered, shocked.

"Marry Lord Sesshomaru! Then you'll never have to leave!" she pleaded, grabbing Len's kimono frantically, desperate to keep her. "He can do all of those things for you!"

"Rin…" Len chuckled softly, delicately prying her hands from her kimono in order to hold them. "That's very sweet of you, and I'm glad you think so fondly of me, but… I just don't know. I just feel like I need to go to the outside world and see things for myself. I might find another world out there that's greater than this!"

"No you won't! This is the best place to live! Why would you want to leave?" her grip tightened.

"Don't you want to go someplace someday? Experience love for yourself?"

"I've never thought about it. I'm happy right here with Lord Sesshomaru!" she began to raise her voice as she became upset.

"… All right, I understand how you feel. Listen, I'll tell you what: I'll live here with you and Kikka and Ah-Un and Jaken and Sesshomaru as long as you want me to. Deal?"

"Promise you won't leave before then?"

"Not one single day!"

She thought a moment, considering the proposal, but could only smile in response to Len's cheerful and trustful grin. "All right, but you better promise!"

"I promise! Now come on, let's wake these sleepy heads up before Sesshomaru gets back, shall we?"

When everyone was awake, Sesshomaru returned to lead them further on. It was late in the afternoon when he left them to rest in a clearing while he continued his 'hunting'.

Len watched happily as Kikka and Rin played tag, both girls constantly giggling as they chased each other. Jaken was out collecting food for lunch, while Ah-Un grazed peacefully nearby.

Kikka was right on Rin's tail, chasing her constantly, both girls losing their breath as pure will pushed them on. But it wasn't their wills that ended the game.

"Rin!" Lenezma called as she ran over quickly.

While running, Rin's feet tripped over each other and she fell into the dirt.

Lenezma rushed over to them, Rin holding tightly onto her right leg, appearing ready to cry as the pain grew, but her pride fought back the tears.

"Rin! Are you okay? Let me see it,"

Rin slowly moved her hands away, revealing a tear in her muddied kimono; when she moved the cloth aside, several long scratches and scrapes cascaded down her knees and shins, including a deep gash that began drawing blood immediately.

Rin was quiet as she sniffed back her tears, trying to hold strong.

"Come on," she picked Rin up into her arms so she wouldn't have to walk on it. "Is there some water nearby?"

Rin looked around a little, "Uh, yeah! Over there!" she pointed in a direction.

"Come on, Kikka," Len called as she began walking.

They walked through a small line of trees where they found a small creak. Len set Rin down and began taking handfuls of water to wash her wounds, feeling the blood rush beneath her skin. The cold water cleansed it, creating a stinging pain at the same time.

"Do you have any other scrapes?" she asked.

"On my elbows…" she said weakly, holding up her arms for Len to see the small scratches on her arms.

Len took some water and gently rubbed her less severe scrapes.

"How does your leg feel?"

"It still hurts," she admitted shyly, unfamiliar with this type of attention. She had not been treated like this in so long that she couldn't help but be honest and want to show off her bruises, to experience Lenezma's maternal love as she treated every little knick and scrape with tender affection. She had forgotten what it was like to have a mother…

"Can you walk on it?" she asked softly.

Rin carefully got to her feet, wincing now and then from the pain. As soon as she took a step and put her full weight on it, she gasped in pain, a tear escaping down her cheek.

"It hurts!" she cried, breaking down.

"All right! All right!" Len helped her sit back down. "Do you want to wrap it up?"

Rin nodded her head tearfully. Kikka just stood by, unknowing how to help; it was best just to let Leny take care of this.

Both girls watched as Lenezma began tearing off parts of the wrap on her left arm, both repulsed by the sight of her arm covered in deep scratches and bite marks, soft pink tissue keeping the wounds closed.

Lenezma pushed the bandages under the water, cleaning them quickly before turning back to Rin, wrapping the gauze around her knee tenderly so she could still bend it with relative ease.

"There you go, that should help until we can get some better supplies." Len told her when she was finished. "Come on, we better get back to the clearing or Jaken will yell at us,"

She helped Rin to stand on her feet again, "Does it still hurt to walk?"

Rin took a few steps, trying to act like it didn't, but both Len and Kikka could easily tell it still hurt.

"All right, let's keep you off the leg for a bit," Len said softly as she picked Rin up in her arms again. She took Kikka's hand and began walking back to the clearing where Ah-Un waited, Jaken having just returned with food.

It was just after they had finished eating the fruits Jaken collected when Sesshomaru came back to them. Whether he noticed Rin's injury or not, no one knew, he just told them to keep moving. Len picked Rin up in order to set her on Ah-Un's back, keeping her off her feet while she and Kikka walked along side.

Lenezma was well ready for rest that night when they stopped. Her body was worn out from the constant walking; before, whenever her legs would start to ache, she would simply ride around on Ah-Un, but didn't want to worry the others due to Rin's current predicament. Despite her string-like legs, Lenezma was just happy that Jaken was able to build a fire tonight.

After checking on Rin's cuts and bruises, Lenezma joined Jaken peacefully around the fire as Rin and Kikka began settling down for sleep, Ah-Un nuzzling their goodnights.

"I have to admit Lenezma, I had not expected you to be such a decent half breed," Jaken spoke randomly.

"Wow, Jaken, you really know how to spread the love, don't you?" Len replied cynically, keeping her eyes on the girls.

Jaken fumbled with his words a moment before sputtering out "That's not what I meant!

"Yes, when I learned of your human half, I immediately disliked you! But it was your feline side I was more worried about!"

"What? Why?"

"Let's just say we haven't had the best of luck with cats…"

Lenezma was about to joke that the dog couldn't chase a cat, but thought better of it. "What happened?"

"Well, it all started over two or three hundred years ago; a large group of cats known as the Panther Tribe came to these parts with the intentions of ruling it. They terrorized the lands, but Lord Sesshomaru's father was the first to stand up against them.

"With the aid of many other demons, Lord Sesshomaru's father defeated the cats, himself taking out the leader of the tribe. Because of this, the panthers cursed the family line and swore their revenge.

"Almost sixty years ago, they indeed returned to these lands. Lord Sesshomaru was right there to fight them, many of his father's same helpers coming to his aid as well…"

Lenezma, actually interested in this story, listened intently. "But…?"

"Let's just say the battle didn't go that well. The other demons were ineffective against the cat's trickery, and many lost their lives. Though Lord Sesshomaru fought excellently, his sword was useless against them, and that darned brother of his was a fool!"

Lenezma's interest was perked - twice in one sentence! "His sword?"

"Yes, the Tenseiga was the sword his father forged from his own fangs, given to the Lord, but it's useless in a battle."

"What about that other sword he carries?"

"That is called the Toukijin, a sword forged from the fangs of a monster that had the power to break the Tetsusaiga, the other sword forged by his father."

"Why would he want that?"

"Are you really that clueless about Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken complained, having to spell everything out for her.

"Well excuse me if he hasn't exactly shared his life story!"

Jaken cleared his throat as he continued. "The Tetsusaiga is a formidable weapon, holding the power to slay a hundred demons at once. But instead of Lord Sesshomaru, this sword went to his brother, Inuyasha,"

The other thing that caught Len's attention; she remembered the wolves mentioning something about a brother as well. "I didn't know Sesshomaru had a brother,"

"Well," Jaken spoke with a new level of disgust, "they're not real brothers. Inuyasha's mother was a mortal, making him a half breed. Yet for some reason, _he_ was given the Tetsusaiga! And their father had made it impossible for Lord Sesshomaru to wield it…"

"So," Len spoke up, "because Sesshomaru couldn't have the better of the two swords, he acquired one with the power to overcome it."

"Exactly! But in all actuality, neither of these swords had surfaced when this battle took place. And, acting on my own accord, I went in search of Inuyasha, hoping he'd have the sword and be able to help Lord Sesshomaru, but that idiot had gone and got himself cursed to a tree by some mortal he'd fallen in love with!

"In the end, however, Lord Sesshomaru successfully fought off the Panther Tribe, though many casualties occurred. Finally, just several years ago, they returned for a third time.

"Using the power of some sacred jewel shards, they intended on reviving their leader. In the process, they dragged both Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha into the scene.

"But something they had not anticipated was Inuyasha's new ability to break through barriers. Unable to steal souls from some peasants, their leader attacked the main four, taking their souls instead."

"He took the souls of his own followers?"

"Yes, giving the brothers a tough time. But then Lord Sesshomaru managed to save their souls and allowed Inuyasha to kill him!" Jaken finished proudly.

"Wait a minute, did the cats involve them _before_ or _after_ their leader was revived?"

"Before."

"Well that seems dumb. Why didn't they wait until after they'd revived him until bringing the brothers into it? Wouldn't that have been smarter?"

Jaken thought a moment before stuttering his answer, "That is true, but they did steal the jewels from Inuyasha's company, as well as one of his friends."

"What? They took his friend? How low can you get?

"All right, so they've got Inuyasha there who, yes, did break the barriers, but if you think about it, if it weren't for Sesshomaru saving those souls – or whatever – Inuyasha might not have defeated him, allowing him to roam the lands as he pleased and grown stronger!"

Jaken provided no response, searching for some reason or another. "Well," he finally spoke, "it seems that they were too dumb to realize this! At least you are not part of that horrible tribe!" he said again, almost as if praising her, but she doubted he'd meant to do so.

"I wonder if my family knew anything about them…"

"Hmm?"

"Well, my father was a spotted feline, I think they called him a leopard, to be exact, but my grandfather was actually called a black panther… I wonder if he had any connection?"

"Well, to be honest, I don't know much about feline demons – not many live in these parts. The tribe actually came from the mainland; and rumors say groups have found a resort where many live away from the rest of the world, but who knows?"

Jaken glanced up at Len for a moment, "Just what kind are you, exactly?"

"Me? Well, I'm not sure… I've never transformed before."

"Hmm… Lord Sesshomaru is fully capable of changing into his natural canine form, but Inuyasha was unable; perhaps you cannot either."

"Maybe… My family always told me I would someday, but… you may be right."

When finally finished talking, Jaken curled up for sleep a few feet from the girls, settled near the fire while Lenezma sat at the trunk of a nearby tree, resting from a distance that allowed her to watch over them. As tired as she felt, she couldn't sleep.

She looked up at the night sky, arms crossed, staring at the full moon. "Not much longer now…"

"Lenezma?"

Len turned her head towards the darkness where she saw the flames dance on Sesshomaru's white clothing, even a slight reflection in his golden eyes.

"Yes?"

He walked closer, coming to stand nearby when he turned to stare at the midgets around the fire, "What happened to Rin?"

"Oh, she took a nasty fall when she and Kikka were playing tag. She scratched her leg up pretty badly and it hurts for her to walk,"

He stared down at her arm where the wounds from the wolves were quite evident. "You gave her one of your own bandages?"

"She needed it more than me."

Sesshomaru knelt down quickly and grabbed her left wrist, holding her arm up as he looked over the wounds, causing Lenezma to wince. "That's debatable,"

It was actually the first time he'd gotten a close look at her injuries, the white demon never truly knowing the extent of her wounds.

Lenezma pulled her arm away from him and covered it from view; "I don't care. They're my first priority, it doesn't matter what happens to me,"

"That's not the way they feel."

Lenezma looked up at him quickly.

"You're like a mother to them; you even treat them as your own. If something happened to you, what would they do?"

Lenezma looked over at them, sleeping peacefully next to the fire. She didn't give him an answer.

"You are so concerned about Rin's leg when you should worry about your own; because you push yourself as you do, your wounds won't stay shut. Would that be why I find you at water whenever you get the chance?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, "Are you spying on me?"

"An accident at first; I've just been finding you there since,"

"Look, I'm going to be back to my normal self tomorrow anyway, so what does it matter? As soon as I'm demon again, my wounds will be gone in no time!"

Sesshomaru stood up. Len thought he was done, but when she looked up into his eyes "… Come. I have something to show you,"

"Hmm?" she wondered, but he gave no answer, just began walking towards the trees. Len slowly got to her feet but stopped and looked back at the snoozers, "What about them?"

"There isn't a single threat around for miles. We'll be back before they could even have a chance at getting close," he explained without even turning around.

Lenezma followed him through some trees, feeling as if she were rising in altitude. When they cleared the tree, she found a plateau with a narrow peak.

Sesshomaru walked to the edge of the peak and looked back at her, summoning her closer with just his eyes.

She swallowed hard and followed him up there, stopping at the edge in awe.

Below them was a wide and beautiful world, filled with trees and a bounty of many different flowers, a stream running straight down the middle of it all.

"It's beautiful…" she gasped, continuing to look over its beauty.

"Look down there near that large rock," Sesshomaru told her.

She looked around a bit before finding it.

"Can you see that fox?"

"I think so…" she said, knowing she saw something sitting next to the stream, but her human eyes were frail compared to the keen feline eye-sight she normally had.

"He has a family of 5 in a burrow nearby. He protects his family very well, providing everything they need to survive. If he were to die, his family would starve and die slow, painful deaths, worse than his own quick demise. Is it worth risking your life for your loved ones, only to leave them suffering?"

Lenezma remained quiet.

Damn he was good at this kind of thing; she could never think of a reply every time he tried to tell her this same thing over and over, only supporting the idea that he cared more than he let on.

She began understanding what he was getting at. She _knew_ what it was the whole time, she just refused to listen. But when he told her such stories, it seemed to make more sense and sink in better.

She looked up at him, finding his eyes bearing down on her like before.

And then, very casually, as if it were an everyday occurrence, he gently took her chin into his right hand, holding it still as he reached down and kissed her softly on her stiff lips.

He began walking back towards the camp, just as silently as he had come, leaving her frozen there on the ledge, his words echoing behind him: "Remember, it's not worth dying and leaving Rin and Kikka,"

Her legs trembled beneath her quivering chest, collapsing on the spot where her body continued to convulse in reaction to his tender touch, still able to feel his lips on hers.

Surprisingly, she recovered much quicker than she had that night in the fire room, still curious of why she reacted in such a way, but at least she didn't break down to cursing herself for it again. She glanced down at the stream again, only to find that the shadow she'd seen before had disappeared.

_"Is it worth risking your life for your loved ones, only to leave them suffering?"_

"No… It's not worth it. Nothing is. But no matter what he says, I will protect them with my life regardless! And if it should leave them in agony, then I hope Sesshomaru will have enough sense to take care of them as I have,"

Lenezma turned and began walking back to the camp as well, not completely satisfied with what she had said, but it was the only thing she could think of. And she truly felt that way.

Once back to the camp, she found Sesshomaru was nowhere to be found – not a total surprise, to say the least.

Her eyes glanced towards the tree she'd sat under earlier, but shied away upon realizing that a pair of fat birds were perched directly over her spot. Knowing her luck, she'd wake up with bird feces all over her.

Instead she went over to where the girls were, Ah once again lifting his head and inviting her in to his embrace. She scratched him gently before snuggling against his chest, feeling his head wrap around and fall on her lap.

Lenezma lay there for several minutes, her mind wandering far and wide before inevitably returning to reminisce on Sesshomaru's words…

_He said it's not worth leaving Rin and Kikka… I wonder if he wanted to add his own name to that list?_ Both memories of his kiss, and the moment in the field, returned to her as she dozed off, her heart beating rapidly in response while her stomach twisted into knots… _Sesshomaru…_

Even the birds blinked in silence as they watched the strange combination of demons and humans, sure they'd never seen such a sight before. Not long after did they, too, settle down for a good night's rest.

From high in a tree, Sesshomaru also watched in silence, guarding his companions as they slept, tasting Lenezma on his lips… He rubbed at his chest coarsely, easing the rousing sensation as he watched her in blissful slumber...

* * *

Mmmm… So cute!


	14. Chapter 14

**Fourteen**

Sesshomaru sped through the trees like a white flash, rushing back to their aid, stopping two wolves dead in their tracks when he seemed to simply appear back in the clearing.

Both sets of ears flattened against their skulls, their tails tucking between their legs: "It's him!" Before either could react, Sesshomaru slaughtered them with his whip; he looked up at the sky to the east, watching as flames rose above the trees, a mushroom cloud forming in the air, all due to the mysterious explosion that went off just seconds before.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken called frantically as he waddled towards his master in a panic.

"Jaken, where are the girls?"

"Rin and Kikka are up there!" he pointed above the treetops, the two-headed dragon just beginning its descent towards him.

Ah-Un landed loudly before their master, the girls calling to him frantically.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried out desperately, Kikka and the heads of the dragon both looking in another direction with distress in their eyes.

"What happened?" he questioned them hastily, trying to remain calm but unable to hide the sharpness in his voice. "Where's Lenezma?"

"They got her!" Kikka suddenly yelled. "They took her that way!" she pointed into the woods, the exact direction the explosion came from. Sesshomaru didn't like that at all. "Sesshomaru!" she called again, "Leny's still human!"

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Earlier…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Lenezma bolted awake as the sun hit her. She began looking around quickly, hoping. She looked down at her hands, trying to see something… She reached up and touched her ears.

"Darn it! I'm still human!" she muttered under her breath. She looked up into the sky, figuring the moon was probably going to take its sweet time changing; she won't change until _after_ she needs it.

"Hmm?" she looked around, finding the girls and Jaken already awake and sitting around. "You're all awake early,"

"No, you woke up late!" Jaken complained.

Lenezma sat up slowly, Ah and Un raising their heads in order to let her out of their embrace.

"Lord Sesshomaru hasn't come back yet," Rin explained, very gently rubbing her aching leg.

"That's odd…" she wondered as she approached their huddle around the dead fire.

"He won't be coming back," a growling voice called out to them.

They all looked around frantically, finding the source to be four of the 3-eyed wolves. Why wouldn't they just go away?

"What are you talking about?" Jaken answered quickly, standing defiant and ready to use his staff. Ah-Un also rose to their feet, their heads lowered threateningly as they growled at the intruders.

"We have distracted him far from here so that there would be no trouble in finishing the three of you off!"

"Can you not count?" Jaken shouted, "There are four of us! Five if you count Ah-Un!"

"Jaken, hush up," Len said in an even tone, standing oddly, ready to bolt if need be.

The wolf grinned wickedly, revealing his two rows of sharp teeth. "Oh no, you three are dinner; _she_ has been called upon by the alpha," he said, licking his lips while staring at Len with all three eyes.

_The alpha?_ Len's eyes narrowed; "Sorry, I'm busy!"

She reached down quickly and picked Rin up, grabbing Kikka by the hand before running towards the woods as fast as she could without losing Kikka.

"Hurry Jaken!" she yelled at the little imp, but he paid no attention and ran in a completely different direction in a panic, screaming his little head off like a girl. "He's hopeless!" she muttered.

One wolf chased after Jaken while the other three chased Lenezma.

_What are they doing? They can run faster than that! Damn! I need to get the girls someplace safe!_

"Ah-Un!"

In an instant, the two-headed dragon was at her side, floating just inches off the ground. As best she could while still running, she flung Rin on to his back, picking Kikka up as fast as she could before doing the same, both girls struggling to gain their holds before realizing what was about to happen.

"Leny! Hurry and get on!" both cried out, the dragon quickly approaching a narrow patch of trees that he would be unable to pass through.

"Get them out of here, Ah-Un!" she ordered the dragon, giving him a slight smack on the hind side.

But even they called out to her wearily, not wanting to leave her in such a predicament, the wolves gaining on them.

"Go!"

Ah-Un shot up into the air just as one of the wolves attempted to bite at his hind feet, just barely missing him as the dragon ascended rapidly, leaving Lenezma to fend for herself as she darted into the trees.

Lenezma ran as fast as her human legs could go, feeling lighter now that Rin was gone, but not fast enough to outrun the wolves right behind her, drool hanging from their mouths. Not only that, but her legs were still sore from her last encounter with these persistent bastards. Her legs and arms were both agonizingly sensitive, too weak to carry on much longer under these conditions, her breath quickening with every few strides.

But then three wolves jumped out at her from nowhere, tackling her to the ground powerfully, almost knocking her out upon impact. In an instant, Lenezma was curled and covering her face quickly just like last time.

But unlike last time, they weren't attacking her. They had grabbed her by the shoulders with their teeth, but did not sink their teeth in far, and soon began dragging her across rough terrain, over rocks and twigs and what she seriously hoped wasn't a pile of dung. This poor kimono…

It wasn't long before they stopped, many wolves suddenly appearing and surrounding her, preventing her from escaping as she slowly came to realize her predicament.

She cautiously sat up, watching them, bewildered by what on earth caused them to do this.

"WELCOME," a strong, disgusting voice called out.

Lenezma turned quickly to find a large wolf approaching her on his hind legs, hunched and disfigured just like the one in the flower field that one night, but far uglier and even bearing a an extra eye compared to all the others. _That's their leader…?_

"SO YOU ARE THE WOMAN WHOM SESSHOMARU HAS CLAIMED AS HIS OWN!"

Her eyes flared incredulously at such a ridiculous and blunt comment. "He didn't claim anything!" she replied quickly, her anger building rapidly. Why did everyone think they were mates?

"Then what was that on the ledge last night?" one wolf replied.

"What…?" The memory of Sesshomaru kissing her appeared in her mind, causing an obvious look of shock to show across her face.

The alpha chuckled evilly, "DON'T BE SURPRISED, MY DEAR. THIS FOURTH EYE OF MINE CAN SEE THINGS WITHOUT HAVING TO BE CLOSE BY,"

"Even so," she replied evenly, reverting back to a harsh glare.

"HUMPH! YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CANINE DEMONS."

"I guess not. Now what do you want me for? I don't particularly like it here!"

Lenezma couldn't help but retort, forgetting inch by inch that she was still human and could not back up her tough talk.

"STRAIGHT TO THE POINT, I SEE…" he commented with that same grin, preferring that kind of fire in his victims. "VERY WELL! IF IT'S BLUNT YOU WANT, THEN BLUNT YOU SHALL HAVE: THROUGH YOU, I INTEND TO RUIN SESSHOMARU! HE HAS CAUSED MY PACK MUCH PAIN OVER THE YEARS AND HE EVEN KILLED MY ELDEST SON!"

_He must be talking about the one we encountered in the field._

"And how better to destroy him than destroy his bitch?" a wolf added, licking his lips maniacally.

"I am NOT his bitch!" she screamed at them. This was ridiculous!

"ENOUGH!" he barked at the interrupter, causing their tail to tuck. The alpha turned back to her, a slightly more serious look on his face this time; "YOU HAVE A GREAT FIRE IN YOU, BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH... HOW IS IT THAT A LOWER CLASS HALF-DEMON SUCH AS YOURSELF HAS CAUGHT THE EYE OF THAT DOG? "

"What? What kind of question is that? I haven't done a thing, he's the one who just started embracing me lately!" Len replied, feeling foolish for both answering and saying it aloud. Still, she knew she had to stall as long as possible until Sesshomaru or some other miracle would come along. "Now answer something for me: What exactly do you intend to do to me?"

The devilish smirk returned to his deformed face in an instant, that creepy chuckle of his causing her to shiver. "IT'S QUITE SIMPLE, REALLY: I SHALL RUIN SESSHOMARU BY IMPREGNATING YOU!"

_OH SHIT!_ Len thought, wondering how the hell she was going to get out of this.

The alpha took a step towards her, a maniacal glint in all four of his eyes as he stared at her fiercely. "WE HAVE SURVIVED ALL THIS TIME THANKS TO THE WOLF BITCHES OF THE FOREST. ONCE IMPREGNATED, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE BIRTH TO ANYTHING BUT ONE OF OUR KIND! BY DOING THIS TO YOU, SESSHOMARU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE YOU FOR CONTINUING HIS OWN LINEAGE, AND YOU IN TURN WILL BE DESTROYED AS WELL – HUMAN _OR_ DEMON!"

Suddenly he lunged at her with his full body weight, knocking her to the ground instantly where his oversized claws pinned her arms down, his hind legs preventing hers from resisting.

Her eyes trembled as she gazed up at his overpowering figure, her body struggling futilely to escape his clutches, causing the wolf king to laugh even more; "YES, FIGHT ME… I LIKE IT WHEN THEY STRUGGLE!"

_Sesshomaru… help me!_

Len's eyes suddenly widened as the wolf began to lean towards her, licking his lips wickedly, the surrounding pack watching excitedly. Lenezma could feel her heart beat quickening, pulsating deeply. A shock ran through her legs and arms, all of her senses suddenly heightening.

The wolf king stopped his descent just before he had intended on running his tongue across her face, his instincts suddenly turning cold. As he stared down at the woman, all of the other wolves felt something strange as well, weary of this new sensation that came over them.

It was then that Lenezma looked up at the king… and smiled.

She began to burst into laughter, as if no longer afraid of the prospect of being raped by the disfigured sadist. "Before we do this, just tell me one thing real quick! If all these wolves are only half-demon themselves, why did they mock me?"

The demon blinked oddly, providing no answer as his mind felt more concerned with the growing anxiety in his chest.

"No matter," Lenezma continued. "But before anything happens, I'd just like to thank you all for not trying to 'impregnate' me until today!"

"Wh-what do you mean?" one of the wolves shouted, the alpha still too shaken up to speak.

"Because I'm no longer human!"

Just seconds after she spoke, Lenezma's spirit began to pulsate. When her eyes had widened earlier, it wasn't because of the demon, it was because she could feel the change beginning. She could feel everything returning to the way it should be, a kindle being relit inside of her.

The wolves watched in terror as she became surrounded by a strange, glowing red aura, watching her ears grow out into fuzzy white ones, the silver streaks appearing in her brightening hair once more. And the sight that broke even the king down into fear was the sight of her cat slit eyes, glowing with cerulean rage.

"I am not one to be messed with like this! And I am NOT Sesshomaru's _bitch_!"

Suddenly flames exploded from her body, rocketing the pack leader straight into a tree with amazing force, the fires flaring out and scorching all the wolves, burning them alive. They tried to flee as Lenezma slowly brought herself back to a stand, but the area in which the flames had stretched was too great to escape, killing them all as more and more flames began to burst randomly from her body, the tension in the air building too quickly before the fires simply burst into an explosion.

When Sesshomaru reached them just moments later, the flames were still raging, far too wild for him to try and enter. He tried to look past the dancing fires and smoke, finding countless bodies, all charred and definitely deceased.

And in the center, he blinked twice at the image he saw. There was a cat in the middle, a large one at that, stretched out and staring up at the sky. But just after Sesshomaru had seen this strange shadow, billowing smoke blocked his view, and when it passed, only Lenezma stood there… Did he actually see it?

Sesshomaru tried to step forward, but the heat was too intense; a light sweat was beginning to permeate even at this distance, to get any closer would surely scorch his clothing and flesh. Left only with the option of waiting, it was not long before he watched as Lenezma fell to her hands and knees…

Lenezma sat there, panting heavily in attempts at recovering her breath. It had used up most of her energy to pull off such an attack to kill them all, but she knew it would be worth it in the end. At least this way they wouldn't be around to call her 'Sesshomaru's bitch' anymore.

She calmed her breathing and closed her eyes, relaxing as she concentrated on the flames. She began pulling, calling the fires back to her, sucking them back into her body to stop the destruction of the forest.

Sesshomaru felt the heat dying down, saw the flames getting pulled away from their food, and absorbed back into her body like streams of energy, filtering back into his soul. Only after the flames were completely gone did he approach.

He stepped lightly over the charred ground and past the black trees, stepping over the dead wolves as if they were fallen branches. The only wolf he took notice of was the large one near Lenezma, partially melted into the nearest tree.

"Lenezma?" he called gently, standing a few feet from where she still sat on all four.

Lenezma slowly lifted her head to look up at the towering Sesshomaru, trying to contain her breathing. She smiled softly up at him, her bangs dangling in her face. "I'm back."

Sesshomaru knelt down beside her, "Yes you are…"

"And I killed the king of the wolves…" she said, trying to look back at him as all of her muscles grew incredibly weak, shaking beneath her own weight.

"Yes you did…"

"… I'm going to take a nap now…" she said weakly and fell forward into the ashes with a 'poof'.

Sesshomaru shook his head, slightly amused. He turned her over on her back and lifted her head and upper body up. He put his hand to her cheeks, wiping the dust off her face tenderly…

He slipped his other arm under her legs and lifted her up smoothly, bringing her in close as he carried her effortlessly back to the clearing where Ah-Un was waiting in the sky with all three munchkins upon his back, eagerly awaiting their return.

"… I wanna… go home…" she mumbled deep in her unconsciousness, her face snuggling into his fluffy.

"We're on our way now."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Lenezma opened her cerulean eyes gradually, her irises flashing about curiously: she was home, back in her room on top of the bed covers. She tried to move but found her body felt incredibly stiff and heavy, none of her limbs wanting to move at all.

With extreme effort, she slowly lifted her head just enough to look around, her body taking its sweet time in complying with her desire to sit up. As she rose to a sitting position, she groaned in slight pain before rubbing her eyes and massaging her forehead, trying to remember what had happened…

_That's right… those wolves kidnapped me in hopes of having their way with me… and that's when I turned back into a demon…_

It certainly explained where all the ash was coming from, she realized, finding her hands and most of her clothing covered in gray dust.

Taking a minute to gather more of her strength, she began to move around some more, hoping to possibly bring herself to a stand when she suddenly noticed there was a moving shadow across her floor.

Her eyes darted up at the window, gasping to find it was none other than Sesshomaru who rested on the window sill, his golden eyes reflecting the moon's white light as he stared right back, gazing at her with a strange warmth.

His hair blew gently in the breeze, ruffling the furry boa as the white demon simply watched her in silence, the moon's glow making him appear very beautiful… it almost reminded her of the painting in the library.

"What are you doing?" Lenezma finally asked after another moment of silence, the white demon not once taking his eyes off of her.

"Just enjoying the view…"

Len's heart skipped a beat at his words, affected not only by their implications but the tone of his voice, the intensity with which his eyes gazed upon her.

It was then that he broke contact with her, turning to look out at the peaceful yard and forest beyond, bathed in the moon's serene light. "I'd forgotten what it was like to look out from here…"

"Hmm?"

A single eye fell back upon her as he delicately informed her that this was in fact his room as a child.

"Oh, I didn't know that… I guess I don't know much about you at all…" she mumbled softly, many various instances returning to her that applied, most notably (to her dismay) the words of the wolves when she tried explaining to them that Sesshomaru hadn't 'claimed' her.

Of course Sesshomaru heard her, but knew not what to say in response, letting silence return to them.

"So… what happened out there? My memory is a bit fuzzy…"

"By the time I'd found you, all of the wolves had been burned to a crisp. You fainted from exhaustion, so I brought you back here to rest."

"Oh… What about Kikka and Rin? Are they all right?"

"The girls looked after you almost every second after returning. They'd only go to bed if I promised to watch you over night,"

"So that's why you're here…" she whispered softly, using his words to convince herself away from the more 'romantic' reasons that lingered in her thoughts. "I've been out all day, huh? That's different for me."

"You used a lot of energy in your attack,"

"Yeah, but when I called the flames back, I felt my energy being restored. I don't know why I felt so tired… I guess my body just needed some major catching up, I wasn't sleeping well while I was out there…"

Lenezma got to her feet and patted at her kimono, dusting away the ashes, complaining as she did so, "Ugh! I am covered in ashes! And…" she sniffed her arm, "… Oh god, I smell! I seriously need a bath…"

If Lenezma had been watching him at that exact moment, she would have seen him smirk for the first time: "If it makes you feel any better, you're not as bad as Jaken,"

"Well, I do feel a lot better about it. But this is Jaken we're talking about!" she smiled up at him, just missing his quick quirk of a smile. "That's it, I'm taking a bath!"

She walked over to the chest and retrieved one of her night kimonos and the necessary under clothing, turning to him curiously just before leaving.

He did not return the gaze, still sitting comfortably upon the sill looking out. She wanted to say something – anything, really – but didn't know what.

She decided to let him be, figuring he would leave on his own accord while she cleaned up.

She stepped out noiselessly and slipped down the hallway, watching as one of the doors on her left suddenly opened: it was Jaken, just coming out of Sesshomaru's room with a muddled expression. As soon as she approached his eyes lit up:

"Ah! Lenezma! You're awake!"

"Good evening," she nodded passively.

"How are you feeling?"

"Uh… Better!" she nodded with a smile, slowing her pace to speak with him. "That power nap of mine really helped. I'm on my way to the bath now to get cleaned up from this mess!" she chuckled.

"Oh! Of course!" Jaken replied hastily. "Uh, before you go, you wouldn't happen to know where Lord Sesshomaru is, would you?" he asked again before she could escape.

"Yeah, he's in my room," she replied flatly, barely glancing at him before practically making a break for the stairs. Nothing personal, she just wanted to clean up as soon as possible and then go back to sleep, actually enjoying the warmth and comfort of a soft bed and strong roof.

Jaken watched as she disappeared around the corner before turning towards the far room, waddling down to Len's room easily, knocking twice before stepping in.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" he called as his head poked in, finding the white lord sitting at the window, staring out, seemingly ignoring Jaken's presence. "What on earth are you doing in here?" he asked with sincere curiosity, glancing around at the room of potted plants and flowers, wrinkling his nostrils.

"What do you want, Jaken?" Sesshomaru asked him rather bluntly.

"Oh, yes. Now, I realize we just had a good rain, but a request for that deviant watering can has already been sent out. According to his recent response, he should arrive in a few short weeks – should we go ahead and cancel or let him come anyway?"

"If more rain comes, restrict him to the barren grounds. Just make sure he informs us before he gets here."

"Of course, my Lord, but, you know, there may be a slight problem if…"

"I'll take care of it."

Sesshomaru still had not turned to his imp companion, content simply with gazing out at the night sky. His eyes dropped subtly to the small hovel below the window, a light coming from a lone window. A flowery aroma began to rise as bath lotions were joined with steaming hot water – Lenezma's bath was ready.

"Er, pardon me if I seem out of line, but…"

Sesshomaru suppressed an angry growl upon hearing the imp's voice – He was still here?

"Frankly, I'm worried about Lenezma."

One golden eye turned at these words, Jaken realizing he'd finally gotten the Lord's attention. "What do you mean?"

"Lenezma is turning out to be a rather decent half-breed, even by my standards, but I feel you may want to keep your distance from her."

His eyes narrowed.

"I fear she may be growing quite an attachment to you, my Lord. If something is not done, she'll only get worse. I've already warned her against such foolish ideas-" Sesshomaru's fists tightened "-but it might be better for you to reinforce the notion.

"Honestly, to think that she had any chance with a demon such as yourself! Women!"

"Are you done?"

"Huh?" Jaken's head perked up, finding an unusual glare in Sesshomaru's single eye that bore down on him heavily. A chill ran down his spine, but he was confused – what caused such a harsh reaction? Had he said something? "Er, forgive me!" the toad dropped on the spot, groveling moderately.

"Take your leave," the dog held back his growl, both eyes once again staring out the window. "I'll deal with Lenezma when she gets back."

"Oh, uh, very good, my Lord…" Jaken mumbled, surprised by his sudden change. The imp waddled out hastily, afraid that Sesshomaru's anger might return and be dealt against him as it usually was. _That was certainly strange, but at least Lord Sesshomaru will sort out this whole mess with Lenezma!_

When Lenezma had finished with her bath, she felt like a new woman – a clean, part-demon one! She felt so refreshed now that she was demon again, clean, and out of the woods! And best of all, all her arm and leg injuries were completely healed, her day-long nap no doubt hastening the process. It was good to be back to normal!

When she reentered her room, she stopped almost instantly to find that Sesshomaru was still present, just the way she'd left him at the window.

"You're still here?" she asked innocently.

Sesshomaru made no reply, not even turning to look at her.

Lenezma didn't care that he was in there. It was his home, after all, he basically had the right, but he _was_ leaving before she went back to bed.

She took the top sheet off and folded it up, keeping the ashes in the middle, and set it to the side, putting her pillow with it; she didn't want to sleep on the ashes after she just got cleaned up!

Sesshomaru did not face her, occupying himself with the outer world until he felt her approach, walking over to him at the window and sitting on the lower edge, looking out at the moonlit yard beside him.

"It's a nice night, huh?"

He didn't reply.

Unable to think of anything else, slightly disheartened by his refusal for a normal conversation, she resumed the old one that had taken place before she left to clean up, still curious about a lot of things: "So how did you know to come back to us so quickly?"

"I thought something was odd about the wolves' behavior – didn't take much to scare their plan out of them," he answered, proving to her that he only spoke about the darker things in life. He looked down at her rather innocently, a hidden depth behind his golden eyes; "Why? What did they tell you?"

"Well, they proved to me that they were all insane when they told me their plan and some other weird things,"

"Such as?" he asked after a moment's hesitation.

"Nothing important," she replied quickly.

_"So you are the woman whom Sesshomaru has claimed as his own… You obviously know nothing about canine demons…"_

"I see…"

It seemed to Lenezma that Sesshomaru knew what they said to her, or at least had an idea. Oh well, that wasn't her problem; it wouldn't matter if any of that was true, she knew she wasn't _his_, and he had no 'claim' over her.

"I… overheard you the other day," Sesshomaru began to say, feeling hesitant to talk about… whatever it was he was getting at. "When you were talking to Rin,"

She cocked her head slightly; "I… don't really know what you're talking about,"

"When you spoke of leaving."

"Oh…" _That…_ "And…?"

Len waited for his words patiently, but he blew her off, standing up and walking away from the window, "It's nothing…"

"Sesshomaru!" she called to him, but he kept walking.

Sesshomaru suddenly stopped before reaching the door. He slowly turned his head to stare at Len as she held onto his wrist tightly, gazing firmly into his eyes.

"Sesshomaru, just listen to me for a minute! That wasn't an easy decision, you know? I love it here with all of you – I really do! And I know Kikka does too, but I'm just not sure if this is what I want for the rest of my life!

"I want to experience the world for myself, like you have. I want to see distant lands and meet people I never dreamed could exist! But a life like that is not within my reach here, hidden away where no one else can reach me."

Her hand slowly drifted away from his, dangling lifelessly beside her body as she averted his eyes, a mellow expression overcoming the proud determination she'd shown just seconds before.

"But… as much as I'd like to do that someday, I _don't_ want to leave at the same time… I love it here, I just… don't know what I _really_ want…" she shrugged helplessly as her eyes once again found their way to Sesshomaru's, the tall demon staring back peculiarly as he turned to her completely.

He sighed faintly, Lenezma left wondering what exactly that meant. "So when do you plan on going on this journey of yours?"

"Well, I did make a promise after all; I'll only go when Rin says I can."

"… And until then?"

Lenezma stared hard into Sesshomaru's golden eyes, wavering as he stared back. Every time he would stare at her like this, she would feel intimidated, almost threatened by him. But right now… she couldn't make it out. They were patient, but at the same time, warm and affectionate.

Suddenly she felt his fingers at her jaw, caressing her skin tenderly as his hands slipped back behind her ear, running his fingers through her damp hair…

Her body responded to his touch, her eyes half-shut dreamily as her head leaned into his palm and wrist, as if reacting to the warmth it brought just as she'd done out in the wilderness. "Sesshomaru…" she whispered faintly, her tone inviting him in closer. He had just begun to lean in, to go to her as his body so desired…

"… please don't…"

He stopped instantly.

Her eyes clamped shut as she suddenly turned away, standing with her back to him as her arms crossed protectively over her chest, her grip tightening as she felt her heart quiver within her body.

What was this? What was wrong with her? Had she not responded to his touch? He almost couldn't bear this, watching her stand there with her back turned on him after he'd grown so close to embracing her yet again. His chest was on fire, desiring to touch her, just to feel her flesh…

She couldn't face him, she just couldn't… so much has happened in the past few weeks she just didn't know what to do or to think anymore…!

Lenezma's deep sapphires widened as a faint gasp escaped her breath…

Her skin crawled as his arms wrapped around her body, embracing her softly as she felt his body at her back. Sesshomaru held her there in sweet serenity, his sweeping arms seizing her, a strong yet gentle hold.

Her body trembled in his grasp, her heart racing as she felt his breath on her ear; very subtly, Sesshomaru lowered his head next to hers, resting one half of his face against her soft hair, his nose and chin just inches from her shoulder.

His eyes opened faintly as another fit of shivers coursed down Lenezma's spine; she was trembling in his arms, her fingers clinging to her kimono with a death grip.

Memories flooded her head one after another, her heart rate accelerating dangerously. _Please, no…!_

Her fear scent overwhelmed his sensitive nose; his muscles tensed – something was terribly wrong here.

Len flinched.

A burst of flames exploded from Lenezma's body, just barely singeing Sesshomaru who leapt away at the last minute having felt her body heat jump to the extreme.

"Don't… Please don't…!" she whimpered faintly, collapsing to her knees in a fit of sobs and restrained tears, her body shaking violently as her claws grasped her kimono even tighter.

Sesshomaru took a step forward –

"Don't!" she cried out, another burst of flames rocketing from her body as a tear slipped down her cheeks.

"Lenezma…"

"I'm sorry, I just…" images flashed through her head, her claws piercing the kimono. "I can't! I can't stand it…!" her head shook roughly, her body curling into a ball.

And for an instant, a look of hurt overcame the strong demon's face. She couldn't stand it…?

Without even looking at him, she felt guilty; "No, it's not what you think…" she added softly, shaking her head. "It's not because of you…"

Though the weight on him had lifted some, he still could not understand her. She had fled from him before, but this reaction was much different, more severe than the last. If she was scared last time, she was beyond terrified over this encounter – it had to have been something specific that triggered such a grave response.

Sesshomaru did not speak, giving her time to calm down, to speak when she was ready; the silence lasted for one agonizingly long minute in which Lenezma had hardly calmed before reciting her tale.

"I… I never told you, did I? How I got that scar across my face?"

Again, Sesshomaru did not speak, but realized he was finally going to get an explanation. In all honesty, he'd practically forgotten the scar which had melted off her face on the evening they met, though it had confused him quite thoroughly back then.

"A few years ago, while at the brothel, I was… 'attacked', you could say…

"At the brothel, the mistress was actually stern about the worker's ages, which saved a lot of us maids the torment of becoming a whore like the rest… But then I became of age, and the lady intended for me to be 'put on display.'

"She always hated me and some of the prettier girls because of how men looked at us – including her husband. The lord, he…" her voice cracked, her mind reliving the trauma, "he had a nasty reputation for breaking the girls in himself…!"

Sesshomaru knew where this was going as soon as she admitted she was 'attacked'. And by the sound of it, Lenezma had never told the story before – people in general have a tendency to lock things away in the back of their minds, never to recite the traumatizing event, incredibly hesitant to admit the dramatic truth.

_So the lord had his way with her? No, surely Lenezma would have fought even in that situation._ He'd told himself the same thing before: he couldn't see Lenezma's pride giving in to such a thing.

"So, late one night I was cleaning up the kitchen with another maid before she left to get something…" Her body trembled: "It was then that he came up to me, playing innocent until I turned my back on him…

"That's when he attacked me…! He-he grabbed from behind and…!" her head shook violently as her body quaked yet again, tears streaming down her face.

Her eyes widened with another loud gasp, looking up to find Sesshomaru kneeling before her, a soft and kind light radiating in his eyes as he held out his fluffy boa to her.

"I cannot hope to comfort you with my touch, but this may help just the same…"

Her heart warmed to his words, but knew without a doubt, just as he had claimed, that she could not accept his warmth while in such a state, despite the desire to hold someone or something close. As her eyes fell upon the fluffy, she realized that he was more intuitive - and compassionate - than previously thought.

"Besides, you're bleeding…"

Her eyes dropped immediately, finding that her claws were buried into her own flesh. She removed them immediately, but hesitated in touching the boa for fear of getting her blood on it. Again, Sesshomaru sensed her thoughts:

"Take it; it is of no consequence to me."

With a shaky nod of her head, Len slowly took the fluffy from him with a sobbing thank you, hugging the bulk of it against her chest, faint tears absorbing into the fur.

After taking a moment to calm herself, the furry boa clamped tightly in her grasp, Lenezma felt ready to continue; Sesshomaru, in the meantime, had returned to sitting at the window, sure that Lenezma would feel more comfortable without him to make direct eye-contact with.

"I was so scared…" her words came as a faint whisper, barely audible even to his ears. "I'd been looked at before, but never touched like that… it was so horrible I wanted to die…

"I fought him though – don't think for an instant that I gave in to him, because I didn't! I could never live with myself if I'd let him do such horrible things to me! And that's when he got angry with me and threw me down… still I fought back.

"After struggling for so long, his rage built up and he grabbed one of the large knives and started swinging it at me. He managed to make two smaller cuts on my cheeks before slicing my face open…

"It was then that my fellow maid had returned, screaming the instant that she saw me covered in blood. I couldn't have been more proud of her at that moment – her scream brought other maids and guards to the room, ending any chance that man could have had to make things worse.

"Of course nothing happened to him," she commented with a vengeful tone. "Despite witnesses seeing the blade in his hands, it was considered a _self-inflicted wound!_" she practically spat.

"While my face was bandaged and healing, I soon realized what a powerful weapon I'd been handed: many were scared to look at my face, instantly turning the men away. I knew that it was my only hope.

"Because of my demon heritage, the wounds managed to heal in just two days, so I made a careful mental note of the markings before I began reproducing the hideous scars on my face everyday…"

Her eyes glanced over at Sesshomaru, finding him watching her with calm eyes. "I guess I had to thank that bastard for disfiguring me, saving me the grief of having to escape with Kikka somehow. But all the same, I am haunted by these memories, the way he touched me…!"

_I tried to embrace her from behind… It was obviously a reminder of the human's attempts. That must be why she reacted so differently compared to last time…_

Her head hung low, staring at the floor while her fingers played in the extravagant fur. "Forgive me, Sesshomaru…"

His eyes widened at her plea. _For what?_

"I know you did not mean for all of this to happen… Even as you held me, I could feel it – I knew that you were different, that you didn't wish to hurt or scare me like that man did… but all at once I felt a rising familiarity and I could not help but react as I did…

"With every attempt at my heart that you've made, you've been so sincere and gentle about it… you even _apologized_ to _me_ after I freaked out last time… That's how I knew… and that's why I'm sorry… Sorry that everything turned out like this and sorry that…" she faded quickly, causing Sesshomaru's eyes to narrow. Judging by her words and tone of voice, he knew her final words would not be ones he wanted to hear.

Unable to meet his eyes, she closed them tightly, gripping the fluffy close once again: "… Sorry that I can't be with you…"


	15. Chapter 15

**Fifteen**

_Lenezma clung desperately to the large fluffy as pain overwhelmed her chest; "I'm sorry… sorry that everything turned out like this and sorry that… Sorry that I can't be with you…"_

His fingers twitched as his eyes continued to bear down on her small figure, huddled over like a disciplined child too afraid to come out of hiding.

"I see…"

Len's eyes reopened at these surprisingly calm words. Was he really taking this so lightly?

Sesshomaru slowly stood and approached her, gazing down at her rather gently considering the many, many thoughts running through his head. He had two options he had to decide on immediately: take the route that kept his reputation safe and undoubtedly pissed her off, or take the more peaceful path and ensure a faster recovery time.

Despite his pride, his heart lurched at the thought of telling her 'Your heart? I am only after you to satisfy my own bodily desires – nothing more.' No, he couldn't do that… It may have been true at one point, and even a small part of it still was, but the closer he got, the more experiences he shared with her, the more emotionally attached he was growing (even though he denied this, of course).

No, he would take the light route, even at the expense of his ego. He wanted to see if he couldn't turn this situation towards his favor after all…

"Tell me, why do you think such things?"

"Why? Because… It's because of who we are, isn't it? Why would a demon like yourself be interested in someone like me? I'm just a half-demon – I can't even see you wanting to use me for my body!"

The way she spoke almost surprised him: she was so innocent in her response, meeting his eyes truthfully, as if this was what she truly thought.

"Is that so?"

"I can't think of any logical explanation… Sesshomaru, I just… It's not only because of those half-brained excuses; despite what I may think or have heard, it's me that's the problem. I just… don't know what I want…

"I… I don't have my priorities straightened out enough to decide whether or not I could get involved with you… You understand, right?"

Sesshomaru eyes did not reveal his thoughts as she looked into them, but she felt saddened by them just the same.

"If it is such a task that you must 'decide' whether or not to be with someone, then it is obvious how you feel."

"Why do you say that? Surely you don't feel so strongly about me? How could you? Surely you've been faced by many, more worthy women than I… so why? What would a pedigree canine want with a stray, alley cat like myself?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously, knowing only one source that could have put such ideas into her head; _Jaken!_

"If this is truly how you feel, then there is no reason for me to stay any longer."

Lenezma couldn't help but feel guilty as she watched him walk away from her with eyes closed. He acted casually, but she could tell that he did not feel that way.

Lenezma turned in order to watch him pace towards the door leisurely, still quite confused about everything that has happened up until now, the emotional roller coaster that had taken them from one extreme to the next in a very short time period.

"Goodnight, Lenezma…" he called relatively callously as he stepped outside the door and shut it neatly behind him, not even waiting for a response or even turning to look upon her once more.

"Goodnight…" she whispered faintly, her heart writhing within her body, distraught by what she must have put that poor man through.

She hadn't meant to reject him so thoroughly, but… why? Did her logic not make sense? Why was he so infatuated with her? She just couldn't understand it! She cared for Sesshomaru, she really did, but did not feel it was on the same level of affection that Sesshomaru showed towards her.

No, she knew she did not feel the same way as him, and did not know how to respond to it. She just wanted everything to go back the way it was, back to when the two of them were simply 'teacher and student.'

Lenezma slowly crawled towards the bed, resting her head on the second pillow, snuggling into it. Sesshomaru's boa was spread out beside her, but she did not indulge in its softness as she'd done before, leaving it to the side so that when Sesshomaru realized he'd left it in her care, he could easily come back and retrieve it…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

It was morning when Sesshomaru did indeed come back into her room, hoping to reclaim the fluffy, but ended up leaving the mansion without it.

When he entered her room, he found her hugging it in her sleep, her arms and legs wrapped around the long boa, her face buried deep into its furry softness… He could not help but admire her in her sleep for a moment, contemplating her beauty…

The horrible pains that plagued him so often anymore sparked as he watched her, a reminder of last night's torment. For every refusal and excuse she made, he felt his poor excuse for a heart cringe. He hated himself for that weakness.

Lenezma was right to question him - why did he want her so? Why could he not ignore her and whatever form of lust was trying to take over? He couldn't escape it; his body wanted her with an unrivaled passion like he'd never encountered before. His own mind tried to deny it, only his strong sense of willpower keeping him back, but this desire was like a disease, slowly spreading and infecting his thoughts. He questioned his own sanity, he asked the same questions that Lenezma had, and even when there was no answer - as there often wasn't - there was still that lingering sensation of wanting to embrace the feline. He wanted her. And those agonizing pains were always there to remind him of it.

They would not let him think poorly of her, would not let him push her aside; and even when it was Lenezma who pushed, as she did last night, they were there to cause insatiable torture. The fact that he did not try and fight the subject, to dissuade her from such thoughts and do whatever necessary to make her his, nearly tripled the pain.

Sesshomaru was at a loss as to how he could possibly pursue Lenezma at this point. She'd been hesitant with every move he made on her, rejecting him in one way or another. The only situation in which he'd come the closest, the time when she most likely would have given in the easiest and made the past few weeks much more favorable, was when he first attempted to kiss her.

That day out at the brook, she was scared when she opened her eyes, finding him above her, but the closer he got, the more willing she seemed. He had almost embraced her – he was so close! – but those damned wolves interrupted perhaps the only chance he had at having an intimate moment with her…

But now things were worse than ever.

She had ran from him, pushed him aside, and even denied him in front of that human; she openly admitted that he was 'different' from the others, but still she could not accept his touch… What could he do?

Lenezma… did something to him… Her presence called to his eyes, her voice to his ears; he desired to touch her, to hold her and take pleasure in his other senses. And now, now that she had denied him…

No. This was not over yet. He didn't know when or how, but _somehow_ he meant to win her…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

For the next two weeks, things had returned, more or less, to the way they used to be.

Lenezma and Sesshomaru did not interact often, meeting on occasion while out in the forest, and rarely within the protected walls of the mansion.

Lenezma could not rid herself of the guilt she felt when turning him away, never quite sure what to say to the white demon when chancing upon him, but Sesshomaru would not allow her to linger on it for long, usually ordering her to go somewhere or do something with that blank face of his. For the time being, he seemed to have given up trying to pull a move on her, but she also knew he wasn't one to give up so easily.

All in all, he seemed to be behaving like usual, like when they were still training: talk little, ignore most of the things she had to say, and tell her what to do – or should do.

The only problem was Sesshomaru _wasn't_ training her.

He'd left her on her own, basically telling her she'd "only improve through personal training."

Presently, Lenezma found herself quite bored being cooped up within the confines of the outer wall. Just the day before, Sesshomaru had quite bluntly ordered that none of them were to leave the boundaries of the wall for any reason. He did not say why, nor answer when Len asked, only commanding she "just do it" before leaving.

What could it have been that he wouldn't let Lenezma out? Surely he didn't still find her too weak to take on the area demons! None the less, to avoid serious confrontation, Lenezma did as he said and stayed home.

She entered the front yard from the stairs, searching for the girls. They were there, huddled near the front door, giggling away while Jaken screamed at them.

"How many times do I have to tell you I hate this game!" he yelled, apparently out of breath.

Oh yes, that brings up an important note to keep in mind:

During these past two weeks, Jaken has been through hell and back (twice) at the whim of the vengeful dog demon. He never gave the imp any reason or explanation, but every command and duty was incredibly strenuous and dangerous, his efforts only to be rewarded by more grueling labor and physical abuse.

"What are you guys up to?"

"Leny! Will you play tag with us? Jaken's being a sore loser again!" Kikka called as Len approached.

"Honestly Jaken," Lenezma smiled jokingly, "I figured you'd be in shape after all this time! You're a real disappointment!"

"WHAT?" Jaken screamed, rambling into insults and excuses with a raised voice, doing nothing but damaging their ears.

"Jaken, I was just kidding! Come here, I'm gonna help you out!"

"What do you mean? What do you plan on doing?" he narrowed his eyes at her skeptically.

"Just trust me and come here!"

Rin and Kikka watched as Jaken approached apprehensively, curious as Len knelt down and whispered something into Jaken's ears.

"What? But…"

"Trust me!"

She turned to the side a bit and put her hands together. She slowly pulled them apart, a fireball in her hand; it began growing larger and larger the further she parted them.

She held the fireball close to the ground and all of them watched intently as it leaped out of her hands and hovered over the ground. Their eyes grew in amazement as they watched two scrawny legs spring forth from the ball which took a long thin form, and then two more sprouted as well. Then a neck and head popped up, a pair of tall ears poking out along with a small tail at the other end.

"Wow Leny!" the girls marveled at her fiery creation, the flames taking the form of a tiny deer. It was then that a pair of yellow eyes opened amidst the fires, appearing to actually blink as it looked around at its surroundings.

The tiny fawn began exercising its legs and pranced about the yard, leaping up and down as high as it could. It bucked around, learning to use its body as a real yearling would, experiencing life for the first time.

"Come here…" she called it over, all watching as it frolicked over and nuzzled her hand gently. She cupped its face gently, his tiny, fiery yellow eyes shutting as she did so, relaxing. Everyone watched in greater amazement as it grew larger, Len obviously filling it with more of her fire energy; it grew just slightly larger than that of an actual fawn before she stopped, releasing it to prance about yet again.

"It's beautiful!" Rin laughed as it circled her a few times before returning to its 'mother.'

"That's truly amazing, Lenezma," Jaken started. Without warning, Lenezma quickly picked Jaken up off his feet, causing the imp to squirm and scream as the fawn came to stand beneath him.

"Wait! That's fire! It'll burn my bum!" he screamed, writhing in her hands.

But she kept a firm grip on him before setting him on the back of the fawn, who stood patiently. Jaken sat frozen, his eyes tightly shut in anticipation of second, if not third, degree burns on his bottom. But then they popped open in surprise and looked around shocked.

"Its flames won't hurt you, and they're perfectly safe against other surfaces." She touched the area just behind the fawn's neck and pulled up a fiery rope connected to it. "Here are the reigns! The fawn can run just as fast as Rin and Kikka, so it'll be a fair game!"

Just then, the fawn broke into a run, Jaken just barely keeping hold on the reigns as it ran, charging right at Rin. Jaken reached out at Rin and hit her arm as he passed, "Tag! You're it!" he laughed as he passed.

"Hey!" she cried and started chasing after him, Kikka joining in on the fun yet again.

Len grinned with amusement as they took great pleasure in their game, the deer obviously adding extra excitement considering the girls, on several occasions, would intentionally get caught just so they could pet it. It wasn't long at all before the three of them dragged Lenezma into their game.

In the end, they all sat on the front porch, catching their breaths calmly in the cool evening air. The deer, still free, was wandering the yard nearby, nosing at the grass as if desiring to eat it.

"He needs a name…" Lenezma thought aloud as she watched him.

"Hmm… but what can we name him?" Kikka asked.

Rin stared at him for a moment, "Why don't we just call him Fawn?"

"Sheesh, Rin! Can you be any more unoriginal?" Jaken mocked.

"Hey! I like that name!" Rin yelled back.

"Fawn's a fine name, Rin. It suits him…" Len smiled, watching as the creature lifted his tiny head and stared at them, knowing they were talking about him. "Well, let's start dinner. Come on, Fawn!"

Fawn bounded forward before losing his shape, reverting to wild flames that were sucked back into Lenezma's chest peacefully. All stood and entered the house…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

It was past lunch the next day and Lenezma had already cleaned up the kitchen and done some laundry, now spending her time out in the yard, soaking in the warmth of the sun, hoping to push away her desire to travel the forest.

She was wearing a dark green kimono with large sunflowers, her hair free and loose about her shoulders. At the belt of her kimono was a small pouch, something she'd never worn since she arrived, so the contents were unknown.

Len turned at Ah-Un's call, finding them just several yards away, staring curiously at her. She smiled and stood to greet them, rubbing their cheeks and chins soothingly.

"Come on, let's go for a walk, shall we?"

Lenezma wandered about the backyard, gazing around at the plant life that still managed to flourish now that they were approaching summer. If only there was more, maybe something that actually _blossomed_.

As Lenezma had noticed before, a majority of the yard was bare; there were plenty of trees as well as several bushes randomly scattered throughout, but nothing of any particular beauty except for the single patch of flowers that grew in the far corner, and it was considerably small.

She intended to change that. She waved Ah-Un forward as she kneeled down in an open space just a few feet from the great wall, pretty well in the middle from one corner to the next.

Her fingers began pulling away at some of the grass and dirt, forming a small crevasse in the ground. Ah-Un watched curiously as she took the bag from her belt before looking at them.

"Can you guys keep a secret? I'm going to plant some flower seeds back here…" she smiled, reaching into her pouch and pulling out different kinds of seeds and bulbs. She scattered them evenly in the many holes she dug up before covering them up gently, hoping to make it as inconspicuous as possible.

Ah-Un remained close at her heels as she practically skipped to another area where she again dug another set of holes for seeds. Altogether they only dug at five or six different places in the far reaches of the backyard, but the holes were a considerable size with quite a few seeds in each.

"When they start growing, they'll spread on their own," she explained to the dragon. "Just remember: you can't eat them when they grow up! I don't care how tasty they are, they're not for you to eat! Understand?"

Both heads nodded, some gurgling noises coming from one.

The dragon was soon left to graze the lawn, making sure not to eat around the places she'd just planted seeds, while Lenezma went off to search for other suitable planting grounds. She wasn't going to plant any more today, merely scanning more areas for when she did decide to plant some extra.

From his balcony door, open only several inches, Sesshomaru watched Lenezma disappear around the side of the house. He opened the door wide and stepped out, staring curiously at a few of the places he'd witnessed Lenezma kneeling at, unable to fully determine what she was up to.

He stepped into the yard, approaching the two headed dragon calmly, both heads popping up as he came upon them.

"Ah-Un, what is Lenezma doing?"

Both heads slightly glanced at each other before drooping, unsure of whether to keep her secret or obey their master.

When Sesshomaru saw their hesitation, he glared. Both heads flinched slightly, glancing yet again before turning away, walking up to one of the dig sites. They nosed it gently before looking up at him.

Sesshomaru eyed the loose dirt for a moment. "What is she planting?"

He watched curiously as Un reached his neck out, nosing at Sesshomaru's sleeve. He raised his arm, letting the sleeve hang full where Ah pointed his nose at one of the designs. They were pointing to the diamonds with the flowers.

"She was planting flowers?"

Both heads nodded, though felt bad for breaking their promise. Sesshomaru could sense their unhappiness, assuming such a pledge. Lenezma had spent a good deal of time with Ah-Un since she first arrived, so it was no surprise that they'd grown attached.

Sesshomaru patted them both gently before turning away, heading to the front yard. Ah-Un groaned a minute before sorrowfully turning back to the grass, feeling ashamed all around.

Lenezma was knelt down in front of a large tree, looking over the dirt. "Hmm… probably not the best place, but it does need something down here… Hmm?"

She turned at an approaching sound, looking upon Sesshomaru just as he called her name.

"Afternoon, Sesshomaru," she greeted placidly as she stood up and faced him. Sesshomaru, however, did not respond so sweetly.

"Starting a garden?" he asked bluntly, almost rudely.

Any other day, Lenezma would have replied with sarcasm or a joke, but she could tell he wasn't in the mood. "You could say that,"

It was silent a moment and she could see a… distasteful look in his eyes as he looked upon her.

Nearby, Rin and Kikka stopped, hearing the low voices of Sesshomaru and Lenezma. They peered around the corner of the house in the area both demons had just come from, Ah-Un grazing restlessly behind them.

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"What if I disapprove of it?"

"Then too bad," she retorted, her earlier, happier mood now turned sour. She brushed past him annoyingly and began heading back to Ah-Un on the other side of the house.

"What does it matter?" she asked, knowing he was following her. "This yard needs some life to it,"

"It is fine the way it is,"

"Why are you so upset over this?" she growled right back, turning to him irritably, unable to understand this loathsome passion.

"Because I detest flowers!"

Rin gasped, her body quivering slightly as she backed away from the edge.

"Rin?" Kikka whispered, but watched as her friend ran off to the other side, Kikka following quickly.

"I don't get you. What could possibly cause you to dislike flowers?

"This yard has plenty of rich dirt to grow all kinds of plants, yet you practically kill everything by ignoring it so much. Things, human or not, need love and attention to grow; without them, they're as good as dead. I'm surprised Rin-" she stopped herself quickly before anything could come out. She turned her back and kept walking, but knew he wouldn't let up after that one.

He rushed in front of her, "What was that?" he practically growled at her, just keeping his temper from exploding on her. He had been in a foul mood since yesterday, particularly after his last patrol, and now she dared to test his patience.

Len ignored him and started walking around but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"Finish it!" he commanded, actually trying not to sound _too_ threatening, but the attempt failed.

She looked into his eyes, seeing the immense anger. His grip tightened and she winced with pain. She glared into his eyes, slightly apprehensive from his growl. She'd never seen Sesshomaru lose his calm exterior, expressing anger in such a way. She obviously struck a chord.

"You won't get far with this, you know, I'm a demon just like you. Not to mention I have fire for blood!"

"Just answer it or I'll strike you down for good!" he snapped, completely unaware of the humming that came from his own throat as he growled at her once more.

"And have two crying girls to handle? I don't think so! Not unless you've lost all sense of who you are. You may not mind Kikka's whining as much, but I very well know you don't want to see Rin cry!" Sesshomaru made no reply.

"If you _must know_, I was about to say I'm surprised Rin is still happy and healthy here! With a Lord like you, I think I would've gone insane a long time ago!"

She yanked her wrist from his grip when she felt it loosen. Fuming, she turned and stormed off, knowing he wasn't following her.

She stomped right out of the front gates, completely forgetting his forbidding of anyone to leave the yard, heading deep into the forest. She had absolutely no clue as to where she was heading but she just kept going; anywhere that was away from Sesshomaru was good enough right now.

Lenezma hated to get so angry like that. She was quick to snap at times, she knew, but rarely allowed herself to get _that _enraged. Bad things had happened in the past because of it, all because of the fire that flowed through her; it was not only her power, but her bloodline.

That was one thing she had never told Sesshomaru: her grandmother was not a feline demon, but a fire spirit. The flames inside of Lenezma came from the truest source, and is what granted her uncanny control, and if her assumption was right, it was also the reason for her dragon and fawn's sense of life. Her grandmother told her once that their fire burned brighter than any other demon's because of their origins, that they did not carry the power of death in their hands like so many feared, but the power of life, and that fire would always respond to their needs and emotions.

Her grandfather, who had always claimed that 'taming' his mate was his greatest feat, often commented how Lenezma had her grandmother's spirit. Like a real fire, if you were not careful with it, it could cause terrible destruction, but if you took care of it, it could fill any darkness with light and warm the coldest of nights.

Lenezma sniffed, hating herself for suddenly thinking of her beloved grandparents, her sorrow mixing horribly with her anger. She missed them terribly, but they were long gone now, disappearing from her life on the same night she was told of her father's death.

She continued to walk and walk, despite how far she was getting from the mansion, knowing only that it kept her away from Sesshomaru, wanting to keep as far from him as possible while these sickening emotions churned inside of her, the fires just looking for an excuse to escape.

And wouldn't you know it? The entire forest and she just happened to run into a trespassing demon while in the midst of her fury, a male, humanistic one at that.

"Well now, what do we have here?" he spoke with a sinister tone as he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of her, Len brushing past him, not even realizing he was there at first.

Len quickly turned her head towards the voice, glaring eyes already set. He was perhaps an inch or so taller than her, adorning a purple monk looking outfit with a wicked looking scythe in his hands. Raven hair and eyes, dark tan skin; he absolutely looked like something death itself had procured and placed upon the earth.

She turned and kept walking. The fires inside were flickering anxiously.

"She's a demon…" a little rodent demon hissed, crawling up onto his shoulder. He was a rather fat rat at that, about the size of a well-rounded cat, with glowing red eyes and razor sharp fangs tipped with dried blood sticking out of his mouth.

"Well hello there, miss…?" the humanoid demon called, his voice smooth as he ran up beside her, showing off his best charms as he struggled to stay at her side.

"Get away from me."

He smiled, "Now, now, I mean no harm. Let's be civilized demons, shall we?" he asked, trying to be polite.

But Len could tell he didn't mean it. She could tell at first glance that he was nothing but a lowlife and a pervert. And yes, thanks to her background she knew exactly what that looked like.

He took a closer step toward her. "Back off!" she shouted again.

Lenezma jumped to the side just as he made a rush for her. He skidded to a halt and looked back at her with a devilish grin. "You're a feisty one, that's for sure! I bet you taste good…" he licked his lips.

_Who and what the hell are these guys?_ Len growled low in her throat, but still the desire to just keep going overpowered her desire to fight. She turned her back on them once more to keep walking, but knew better than to take all her senses off of him and his rat. Good thing too.

Just as he made another leap at her, she turned and threw a wall of fire at him, sending him flying into – and through – several trees until the fire stopped. She watched as he got up to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth, his scythe being thrown from his hand during the impact with one of the trees, landing who-knows-where.

"She IS a tough one, eh?" he spoke again. He grinned wickedly: "I always did like a woman who could kick ass and look good all at the same time,"

Lenezma was absolutely disgusted with this character, more so than she was with Sesshomaru. She watched as he charged at her again, same unstrategic tactics, and again she threw her wall of fire at him, but encountered a surprise:

He was a water demon.

He threw up his own wall of water, both of the walls battling for dominance.

"Weren't expecting that, were ya? I guess we're both just full of surprises… Damn I like you! You're not taken are you?"

That was the wrong thing to say to her at the moment - and she was just getting used to not being called 'Sesshomaru's bitch'. What made people think she was an object to be won?

She began pouring more of her energy into the wall, but still, his wall retained the upper hand.

"Sorry Miss, but water will always overcome fire!"

"That just depends on how hot the fire is!" Sure enough, soon the entire area was heating up immensely, steam rising up from the ground and off the trees, leaves on the ground spontaneously combusting, and the wall of water was weakening, steam spraying everywhere.

But the dark demon just continued to grin; "Very nice! Keep it up, I like it when they struggle…!"

Lenezma's blood boiled as a hint of fear pierced her heart – he was just like that damned wolf, wanting only to rape her for his own disgusting pleasure. But she was much further ahead than she was with the wolf, and only death would diminish her rage at this point – if that.

"Don't worry, master! I'll get her!" the rat called, appearing from behind his feet as he jumped out of hiding. She watched as it ran towards her, ready to attack – but that wasn't happening.

"Maru!" she called, and out came the fire dragon, over twice its normal size. The rat skidded to a halt as the dragon came swooping down on it, screaming, and picked it up in its jaws, digging its teeth into its soft flesh.

"No!" the water demon called as it watched in horror as his rat-thing was then slammed into the ground where the dragon began sinking its claws and teeth in, tearing the rat to shreds all over the ground. The dragon raised his head slowly, his devilish golden eyes glaring intensely at the water demon, his muzzle covered in blood.

"Now why'd you have to go and do that? I was hoping we could all be friends! Oh well, guess I'll just have to kill you instead," he scowled, his care for his friend dying away quickly.

His wall of water suddenly became much stronger, trying to extinguish her fire, but she still held tough. The entire area was becoming one giant sauna, sweat just rolling off their faces.

'Maru', the dragon, then turned his attention to the water demon, roaring magnificently, and began shooting his own flames at him. The demon put his other hand out and created another wall of water to fend off the flames, but grew weaker swiftly by doing so.

"My dragon has the same strength as me! If you can barely contain my powers, how will you manage when there's two of us?" she said, becoming more confident in her abilities, strengthening their fire assault. Her grandmother was right - the angrier she was, the stronger her powers.

She could plainly see the demon's face as he began panicking, using every last bit of strength in him to hold them off. But that's when she decided to put this game to an end and 'heated' the situation up even more, gathering an aura of pure heat around them, putting most of her strength into one big blast.

This technique was something she'd only tampered with in previous weeks, not certain of the devastation it could cause, but every fiber in her body told her it would be great, then and now.

The demon could see her gathering her energy, sensing the sweltering heat close in on him, suffocating him – Lenezma caught the flash of fear in his eyes, and once again found herself ecstatic.

Maru's stream of flames halted just as Lenezma released her bomb, completely destroying the foul demon and taking out several large trees with him.

The flames erupted wildly, remaining mostly within the confines of her erected aura, a few sparks managing to break free. The blaze consumed her and the dragon, but went completely unharmed by its power. The fires raged on for several seconds before Maru turned to Len, frozen in her previous stance, panting with exhertion as the technique's explosion replayed in her head; Maru pressed his nose against her, cooing softly to soothe her…

Lenezma double-blinked before waking up from her trance, still locked on to the disintegrated demon whose fear had elated her senses rather frightfully.

She stood tall once again, glancing around to find that she was still engulfed in flames, realizing that the flames were now catching on to the surviving plants. Len closed her eyes gently, taking a deep breath…

Soon the flames were dispersing, being pulled away from their sources of fuel to return to her body, sucking them in and restoring a great deal of energy.

After all was done, the fires all gone, her body swayed as she suddenly felt dizzy. She hunched over with her hands on her knees and stood stagnant, catching her breath for several seconds before Maru came to check on her, still in full flame. She reached out and stroked his head, noticing that he had shrunk back to his normal size. Her previous fury had diminished with the death of the demon, taking away the dragon's boost in size and strength.

After a few seconds, Maru's gaze suddenly shifted, looking up into the sky intently; when Len regained her composure, she, too, looked up, following his gaze to find a strange, white bird circling the area. This seemed rather peculiar since animals would normally have fled from such an explosion, yet this one seemed curious.

Len, having much more training and more control over her animal instincts, did not desire to catch the bird; Maru, on the other hand, was a free spirit and jumped into the air right after it.

The bird saw the oncoming beast and panicked, taking off as fast as it could to the north, Maru right on his tail. Maru opened its mouth and shot flames at the bird, catching his tail feathers ablaze, sending the bird into a fit of frightened screeches.

"Maru!" she called out after a bit, completely calmed once again; she allowed her beast to have his fun, but did not wish for him to take another life.

Maru slowed down reluctantly and watched as the smoking bird kept going and going. Maru returned to Len and reentered her body, refilling even more of her spent strength, allowing her to relax in one big breath.

"Not bad," Sesshomaru said, approaching her.

Lenezma turned to him with surprisingly calm eyes; "Thanks… And thank you for not interfering." Sesshomaru, to her amazement, almost looked impressed. _That's right, I heard you over there. I may have been busy, but not all my senses were directed at that piece of slime. _

Without another word, she turned again and began walking in the same direction once more... but Sesshomaru kept beside her. "Where are you going?"

"I haven't decided yet,"

"… Where will you go until you _have_ decided?"

"Nowhere really…" Len replied halfheartedly, her anger beginning to rise yet again, growing subtly as Sesshomaru continued to stalk her. "Would you just leave me alone? I came out here to get away from you, after all,"

Sesshomaru did not respond, just kept on following her in silence.

"You seem to be developing your powers well. You were able to keep both your mental and physical abilities intact," he said randomly, not quite a half mile from the last place they spoke. She found it fairly sad if it had really taken him that long to think of something to say.

"What do you mean?"

"You were able to control your own wall of fire while keeping the dragon in line as well,"

"What are you talking about? Maru has a mind of his own! He's had it since he was born, but I can still control him,"

"Maru?" he raised his brow curiously.

"Yeah… Named it after you in a way, since you _were_ the one who taught me to use and control it,"

"Lenezma, I…" Sesshomaru started to say, breaking the silence that began between them again.

"Listen," she interrupted, turning to him sternly. "I know this is your land and you control it and all, but you can't expect to keep me from doing what I love. I love to garden! I love to watch flowers grow and bloom! So I planted some flower seeds - so what? Deal with it!"

Sesshomaru stared at her blankly. Lenezma began to wonder if he'd even listened.

"You know…" she spoke again, a new, more desolate tone to her voice, her eyes backing up this new expression, "the way you acted back there… it proved something to me…"

That was all it took for Sesshomaru to want to stop and silence her – he knew what was coming but could not bear to hear it… but neither could he bear to hurt her anymore, to push her further away.

Len shook her head faintly, unable to fully articulate her thoughts: "You don't… you don't truly care for me… If you felt for me as strongly as you seem to think, then you wouldn't have yelled at me like that. My god, Sesshomaru, you threatened to kill me!"

The white demon did not speak, standing in complete silence with his eyes narrowed and what she thought to be an ounce of pain. _Does he not try to hide it? The pain I must cause…?_

When Sesshomaru still made no reply of any sort, Lenezma turned away from him once more and began walking. "Please, Sesshomaru… just leave me alone…!"

His eyes watched as she disappeared into the trees, leaving him alone and wounded where he stood. He desperately desired to go after her, to try and fix this… but he just couldn't… not after what she'd said. She was right: he had blown the situation way out of proportion and for poor reasons. He could do nothing but let her be and hope to once again gain her trust…

Sesshomaru blinked away his sentiments before swiftly turning back the way they'd come. He had something to take care of, and once that was done, he planned to head deep into the forest in search of demons, giving him time to think and reflect further on his predicament, and ultimately to release his frustration…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

The white bird flapped and flapped as fast it could. It had just stopped at a river to stop the smoking, and now continued to head for a small village.

It landed just outside the village where a young couple sat under a tree, resting in the shade. The male wore all red with silver hair, the girl dressed in priestess garb with black hair. As soon as the bird landed, the man sat up anxiously:

"Shippo? Back already?"

The white bird scowled at him: "Yeah, I'm back!"

The girl sat up as well and watched the bird transform into a medium sized fox demon, not quite in his double-digits. "So what's up?"

"You know that water demon and his rat you guys were having me follow?"

"Arainami?"

"He was just killed."

"What? Are you sure?" the girl asked.

"I'm positive, Kagome! I saw it with my own eyes! I have the burnt tail to prove it!" he turned and pointed at the black, crispy tip.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"There was another demon! A girl I think. She was passing by and Arainami started to attack her, but then she threw fire at him! Right out of her own hands!"

"A fire demon?" Inuyasha spoke, trying to think about all this clearly.

"Wait a minute!" a small, elderly voice called from seemingly thin air. Suddenly a small creature bounded out from the folds of Inuyasha's clothing, a tiny flea demon ending up on his knee. "There was another demon?"

"Yeah! And they started to battle, too! Water vs. fire! First he had her, then the whole place started smoking when her powers increased! Then a fire dragon popped out of her body and literally ripped the rat to shreds!"

"A fire dragon emerged from her body? Inuyasha?" Kagome turned to him softly, hoping he'd explain what that might mean. She knew she'd never seen such a thing; she'd seen countless enemies harboring other demons within them, but never a dragon.

"It just sounds like a powerful fire spirit who's developed their powers quite well. Especially if they took Arainami out while he had that scythe of his."

"So then-" Shippo continued, "-the dragon started throwing flames at Arainami too! But he couldn't hold them off. And then there was an explosion! It took out a whole section of the forest like _that_!" he snapped his fingers.

"Hmmm... Where did this all happen?" Inuyasha asked, figuring he might go and look into it. Myoga, for some reason, seemed incredibly urgent for this information as well, leaning in closely.

"In a large forest just south of here," he pointed.

From the hillside, they could see only a tiny portion of the edge of the forest. Inuyasha grunted, getting ready to stand. "Guess I better go check it out…"

"Wait! Stop Lord Inuyasha, you mustn't!" Myoga suddenly cried out, causing all three to hesitate.

"What's wrong Myoga?" Kagome cocked her head.

"Lord Inuyasha, I beg of you, for your own safety you must not go into that forest! Those lands are known as the Western Plains!"

"The Western Plains?" he eyed the flea curiously, sure he recognized that name from somewhere before…

"Yes, the lands your father once reigned over!"

"Inuyasha's father ruled over that entire forest? But it's so huge!" Shippo gasped.

"No, he ruled many, many lands beyond just this forest. In the center of the forest, there is a beautiful mansion surrounded by a great wall; this was the great lord's summer home, a vacation spot if you will."

Inuyasha narrowed his gaze impatiently. "So what's the big deal?"

"While the lord had many domiciles, this is regrettably the only one that is still intact. According to some reliable sources, these lands have once again been claimed by the family."

Shippo shuddered. "You mean…"

"Yes; Sesshomaru is the lord and ruler of this forest now. And if he were to find you there, there's no telling what actions he would take! He's a ruthless defender of his domain, just like his parents!"

"I don't get it, though: why would Arainami be stupid enough to enter? And who could the chick be to be there in the first place?" Inuyasha wondered out loud. "Animal demons would be able to smell Sesshomaru's scent, while elemental demons usually have a sixth sense towards such threats – he should have known better than to enter!"

"I agree. Sesshomaru would surely kill any demons that entered his forest, so what could have possessed him to enter?" Kagome also expressed her thoughts. Suddenly her eyes brightened: "You don't think that's where the herb grows, do you?"

"But his scythe allows you to grow it anywhere. And if Arainami was destroyed, chances are the scythe is too," he said; Kagome's eyes drooped.

"But," Shippo started, "He didn't have the scythe with him when the bomb went off… Which means it might still be somewhere!"

"Maybe… But for now, I think we should lie low like Myoga says," Inuyasha grumbled, gaining a shocked response from his fellows. "The land is no doubt Sesshomaru's first priority and he'll take good care of it… But I still can't help but wonder who that woman was or why she was on his lands…"

"Hmm…" Myoga groaned, staring off at the forest in deep thought…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Lenezma stepped into the mansion several hours later, spending the entire day roaming aimlessly about the lands, slaughtering any devil she crossed, also using them as an excuse to release the remains of her pent up angst.

It was sundown now, though, and she'd calmed herself greatly despite the fact she would still refuse to look at Sesshomaru if he should appear.

She walked up the stairs softly, in no particular hurry to confine herself within her room – she was just relieved to find Sesshomaru was not in his chambers, his scent semi-old. But it was when Len approached the girls' room did she stop.

She could hear sobbing…

She knocked softly before sliding the door open, "Kikka? Rin?" she called softly as she peered around the corner. Both girls sat on the bed, Rin curled up as she sat with her face buried… she was the one crying, Kikka sitting nearby in an attempt to comfort her.

"Leny!" Kikka called as she saw her sister enter.

"What's going on?" she asked as she shut the door softly, walking towards them, eyes stuck on poor Rin.

"I don't know, but she's been up here like this for a while now…" Kikka explained as Len dropped to her knees on the bed next to them.

"Rin? Rin, what's wrong?"

Rin did not answer, barely bringing her eyes out from seclusion, red from crying.

"You don't know what happened?" she asked Kikka, who shook her head slightly.

"I…" Rin started, her voice crackly, "I saw you and Lord Sesshomaru fighting…"

"What?" Len wondered, heartbroken to think this girl might have been crying all day over that scuffle. She wrapped an arm around her shoulder softly in comfort, "Rin, you don't have to worry about that, we just had a disagreement is all…"

"No, it wasn't that…" she sniffed, raising her tiny head to look up at Lenezma with her soft brown eyes. "Lord Sesshomaru, he…" her face wrinkled up again.

"What Rin? What'd he do?" she asked sternly, ready to go kick his ass for hurting her somehow.

"… He… He said he hated flowers…!" she choked. Her watery brown eyes gazed up again, "I've been giving him flowers ever since he saved me!"

Lenezma's heart sank as she watched Rin hide away again. To see such a strong girl as Rin break down like this, fighting off her desperate tears, made Lenezma want to cry as well.

Len wrapped her arms around Rin in a tight hug, the small girl returning the embrace. Len held out her hand for Kikka, who took it hesitantly, being pulled into their embrace as well. Lenezma held them close, rocking slowly...

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru entered his room through the balcony door, his anger long since passed as he entered, closing the door softly behind him.

He stopped, standing motionless as his golden eyes searched the pitch black room, sensing another's presence.

Several of the candles placed about his room suddenly flared alive, filling the room with light, revealing Lenezma as she leaned against the wall near the main doors, glaring wickedly.

Both stared long and hard at each other in dead silence before Sesshomaru walked towards his bed, intent on removing his armor.

"What do you want?" he called as he began removing his swords from his belt, feigning annoyance over her uninvited presence within his chambers.

"I hope you're proud of yourself."

Sesshomaru spared one eye on her as he began untying his sash.

"I don't know if you said it in spite of me, but there's a little girl down the hall who's heartbroken because her beloved Lord announced his hatred towards the flowers she's been picking for him all these years."

Sesshomaru stopped amidst the removal of his armor as she spoke. He set it down carefully before turning to face her completely, numb to her cold eyes at this point.

"Whether it was your intent or not, Rin has spent the past several hours hiding in her room! She's probably the strongest girl I've ever seen, and she only proved it more tonight as she fought back her tears with all her might. So when you're done being a cold hearted bastard, I'd suggest you fix this!"

Sesshomaru continued to stare in silence, sorting through his thoughts…

* * *

Fawn – There were possible translations, but I decided to stick with good old English "fawn" this time.  
Arainami – Stormy Seas

So... let's see, what did we have in this chapter? Oh, another favorite line: "Her presence called to his eyes, her voice to his ears; he desired to touch her, to hold her and take pleasure in his other senses."  
Um... a new character was introduced and killed several paragraphs later. Inuyasha makes his debut, apparently after the new/dead character (I swear it has a purpose, just not for a while). Uh... anything else? Guess not...


	16. Chapter 16

**Sixteen**

Lenezma no longer cared that she was cursing at him; he deserved every insult that escaped from her lips.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Still there was only silence, aggravating Len even more. She recognized this as his normal self, but only now did it truly piss her off.

"Say something already! As great of an _asshole_ as you've been to me lately, I can't stand seeing Rin like that!"

Lenezma's fury quickly faded, breaking down to a face of sympathy with a deep sigh. "… Please… Just fix this mess, for Rin's sake. And until this is resolved, I'd rather not look upon you…!"

Len turned gently, suppressing her inner rage to remain calm as Rin's face continuously appeared in her head. Just as she grabbed the doors, Sesshomaru finally spoke up:

"Lenezma!"

She halted, sighing heavily before turning to him, her compassionate expression desiring nothing more than the happiness of her sisters.

"… I have an idea."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Rin awoke the next morning calmly, happy to have slept so soundly and dreamless. She sat up, stretching greatly with a large grin.

"Come on, Kikka, let's go… Kikka?" Rin gasped, finding her friend no longer next to her. "Kikka!" she called again, but she was nowhere in the room.

Rin jumped out of bed quickly; Kikka wouldn't just leave, whoever woke up first would always wake the other – so where was she?

Rin ran to the door, looking about the hall quickly. She ran to Len's room and knocked before sliding it open, only to find her room abandoned as well.

"Where is everybody…?" she wondered miserably.

"Rin."

She turned quickly to find Sesshomaru standing nearby, staring down with calm eyes. She nearly smiled when his hurtful words came back, and she called back with probably the saddest voice she'd ever spoken to him: "Oh, good morning, Lord Sesshomaru…"

His eyes flinched. "Go get dressed, Rin, we're leaving."

"Where are we going, my Lord?"

"Just for a walk," he replied softly, his words somewhat confusing her. He never behaved like this. Silently, she slipped back into her room where she quickly changed into one of her kimonos, following him out into the yard.

Rin trailed only a few feet behind Sesshomaru as they exit the yard through the front door, following him through the trees. It felt so different to be with him without Jaken or Ah-Un around. When they passed the dragon in the yard, she had called to him, but Sesshomaru made him stay: "Not this time," he had told her softly before opening the gate for her.

It was a fine day: the sun was bright and warm while the soft breeze kept you cool, only several white puffy clouds floating along gently.

Rin had no idea where he was leading her; this wasn't the normal path they took when traveling the plains, she didn't even know what existed in this direction.

But instead of worrying, she found it exciting. Everything seemed to be new: different sights and smells, even the birds and trees seemed different from the rest.

"Hmm?" she wondered as they came upon a large stream; it wasn't all that deep, maybe a little past her knees, but very wide. She was quite willing to cross until she took notice of the sharp rocks beneath the surface, most, if not all, were jagged and tipped, perfect for slipping on and getting cut. Her previous leg injury had finally healed too!

She gazed up at Sesshomaru, about to question their crossing, but stopped when he knelt down before her. She watched in silence as he wrapped one arm around her, holding her as he stood back up.

Her small hands grabbed at his kimono for reassurance, unused to this almost dizzying height. And then, in one swift move, Sesshomaru leaped across the river with ease.

Rin didn't realize it, but she flinched, tightening her grip as they flew over the water. When she opened her eyes, they were standing calmly on the other side, Sesshomaru eyeing her lightly.

Rin released his kimono as he carefully set her back down before continuing on, Rin following him closer now.

It wasn't much further when they cleared the trees, Rin's face lighting up at the sight before her.

The expanse ahead was surrounded on all sides by magnificent trees, majestic mountains in the background, and a clear blue creek flowing softly through the center of the field of flowers.

She couldn't believe it: there were many, many kinds of flowers of all shapes and colors, numerous types of which she'd never seen before.

"Oh, wow!" she gasped in total awe. "Is this what you brought me out here for?" she asked with large eyes.

"Go play, Rin," he replied, gazing at her with an unusually warm expression. And then, feeling slightly awkward about it, added "Find some good ones for me,"

"Oh, thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" she exclaimed excitedly, but just as she was about to run into this beautiful world he'd shown her, she stopped, her happiness fading quickly. "But, I thought you didn't like my flowers…?"

Sesshomaru was still for only a second before coming closer, kneeling next to her, staring eye-to-eye. "I never said that."

Before she could admit she'd overheard him, he continued:

"… I don't like Lenezma's."

Rin smiled, catching him off guard as she gave him a quick hug around the neck before running into the vast field, thanking him yet again.

Sesshomaru stood tall, brushing away her hug as he stepped softly into the field behind her, remaining close as she giggled merrily, his senses alert for any unwanted visitors.

Rin had barely begun her thorough search when a voice rang out from across the fields.

"Rin!"

She looked up to find Kikka running towards her with her arm waving, smiling brightly as she approached.

"Kikka!" she exclaimed, running to meet her. She could see Lenezma further down in the field, approaching at a walk.

The two girls met in a fit of giggles, dropping to the ground almost immediately in search of good flowers, Kikka explaining briefly how Lenezma woke her up early to go out on their own.

It was a few minutes before Lenezma reached them, kneeling to help them pick out the healthiest and prettiest.

Sesshomaru continued to stand protectively several yards away near a large rock at the brook's edge, remaining attentive.

Lenezma finally approached him several minutes later, her red kimono with blue roses fluttering behind her as the wind picked up slightly.

She sat carefully on the rock, watching the girls as he did, but not worrying about any surrounding threats; the cheerful scene before her was all she cared about.

"Thank you," she spoke after a few moments passed. "I couldn't bear to see them like that… Also…"

Sesshomaru glanced down at her with one eye, her own eyes cast down at her feet as she spoke.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask for your permission when planting those seeds. I didn't think it would make you so angry; I just wanted to surprise the girls…"

Rin glanced up at that moment, wondering what had become of their guardians, only to watch the two of them talking, a calm, surreal feeling floating into her chest at the sight. She smiled lightly before returning to the task at hand…

"Lenezma,"

She quickly glanced up at him, not actually expecting him to respond; both golden eyes rested placidly upon her.

"Keep your garden… but, try to contain it within the backyard."

Lenezma's eyes lit up and she smiled kindly, "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

There was a moment of silence, the two simply gazing into the other's eyes peacefully as the sound of laughter filled their ears. And then he went on to speak again, catching her off guard by his sincere words:

"I hope you can forgive me for my recent behavior. Perhaps I, too, do not fully realize what I want at this point…"

Lenezma gasped, surprised by his words, and uncertain of how to properly respond to his confession: "Uh, sure…"

He had apologized to her - again! If she had known this was going to become a habit, she would have kept better track of what number she was on.

"Good… I hope to regain your trust in the near future…" he faded kindly, his eyes drawing to a close, just missing the faint tint of pink that graced her cheeks.

Then, to her astonishment, he turned and began walking away from her and the girls, heading north.

"Where are you going?"

"I have my territory to protect."

"What? But I don't sense anything,"

"That is why you need more practice…"

Len smiled, holding back her retort as she watched him walk away.

She stood and returned to the girls, helping them pick out the best ones.

"Where did Lord Sesshomaru go?" Rin asked, finding him nowhere in sight.

"He had to go take care of some demons,"

"Oh, okay!" Rin replied, obviously understanding what that meant to him, never questioning it. "Ooh, what about this one?"

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru returned to the mansion later that evening, venturing out all day along the farther reaches of his domain. It wasn't often that he dealt with them, so felt it a perfect time since he was there.

The night was surprisingly cool and stepping through the front door into the house did not offer him much warmth.

He turned, traveling down the hall to warm up a little in the fire room. As he approached, he could hear the voices of the girls, but that didn't matter to him.

He entered the room, finding all six eyes on him as he opened the door. They were playing Issen.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin exclaimed giddily.

"Welcome home," Lenezma greeted, but at her remark he closed his eyes, brushing past them without a care as he sat on the other side of the room. Len smiled as she took her turn.

From his place, Sesshomaru had a pretty open view of their game play. He'd never played it, but studied their moves, learning through observation alone.

None of the girls paid him any mind except when Rin asked if he'd like to play as they started a new game. He refused, of course.

They were on their last game of the night, Lenezma and Rin winning only once while Kikka won two in a row. To make sure she didn't win again, Len and Rin 'secretly' allied themselves against Kikka, knocking her out of the game about halfway through.

Kikka sat off to the side as she watched intently to witness the next winner. Len and Rin played piece after piece, strategizing every move which always seemed to end in a draw - Len would take out one of Rin's pieces and get knocked out by another of hers.

Soon it came down to the last few pieces, all nearby in the center of the board, their last few moves crucial to the deciding victor.

Rin had just taken her turn, managing to take out two of Len's pieces in one foul swoop.

Lenezma sat in thought, studying the board closely for some way of coming out ahead in this situation. She placed her fingers on one certain piece, considering, searching…

_"… Go right…"_

Len looked up quickly, finding both girls watching the board with only an occasional glance up at her. Her eyes wandered to Sesshomaru, where his eyes stared directly into hers. Had he whispered that? Could he see something she didn't?

After a moment's study and debate, she gave in, slipping the piece to the right. _Why not?_

Rin stared a moment before moving a piece forward.

Again, she scanned the board for some kind of helpful move, but couldn't find the reason Sesshomaru had her move that piece.

_"… Black: forward-right…"_ he whispered again.

Lenezma stared hard, unable to see the point, but couldn't find any harm in it either. She did as he said. This continued for a few more turns, their pieces just circling each other; Lenezma was able to take out one more piece through his guidance, but Rin got her back two plays later.

Unable to find any other move, Len shifted her main piece in the only direction she could. Her eyes independently flashed in Sesshomaru's direction where he gave a faint, almost undistinguishable nod.

Rin studied, deep in thought as she checked out all of her options. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide as her face brightened up, a big smile overcoming her as she moved one of her pieces towards the one Len had just used where she and Kikka began giggling.

Len stared for a moment in awe; if this were chess, Rin would have called out "checkmate."

Lenezma began giggling right along with him, admitting her defeat easily.

They placed the pebbles back in the satchel before standing, the girls carrying the game as they approached the door.

"Goodnight, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called as she exit the room, not even waiting for his response, mainly because she knew he wouldn't give one.

Len, ready to follow them, turned to look upon him one last time with a smirk. "Thanks for your help! I should have known you were leading me into defeat…" she smiled, realizing Sesshomaru must have predicted Rin's every move and led Lenezma right into her hands.

"That is why you shouldn't take the advice of others."

"Not even yours?"

Sesshomaru gazed for a moment as she smiled goofily.

"Goodnight, Sesshomaru," she called softly as she exit the doorway, shutting the door before following the girls up to their bedrooms.

"Goodnight, Kikka; goodnight, Rin!" Len spoke as she hugged both girls before they entered their room.

Kikka ran in, but Rin remained by Len.

"Hey, Leny? … Thank you."

"For what?"

"For talking to Lord Sesshomaru,"

"What are you talking about? I didn't say a thing to him. In fact, he was the one who approached me, claiming he wanted me to take Kikka out so he could spend the morning with you."

"Really?" Rin gasped.

"Really!"

Rin grinned brightly. "Thanks, Lenezma! But…" she started to say, her expression fading quickly into curiosity. "… Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Rin checked on Kikka and looked around the hall, making sure no one was nearby. "Is… Is there something between you and Lord Sesshomaru?"

It was Lenezma who gasped this time. "What do you mean?"

Rin's smile returned as she shook her head, "It's nothing! Never mind! Goodnight!" she called quickly before stepping back into her room, shutting the door quietly as the image of Sesshomaru and Leny talking in the field returned to her, filling her heart with a genuine warmth.

Len continued to sit on her knees for a moment, thinking about what Rin had just said. Trying to push it from her mind, she stood and entered her own room to prepare for bed, the window parted slightly to allow the moon's glow inside.

When she settled down, however, she found she could not sleep, constantly hearing Rin's words in her head.

It seemed like such an odd question after all the drama that's been occurring between her and the dog demon: rejecting him once and for all, that argument they'd just had the day before, slight friendship today… Just what was going on?

She'd mentioned it before, and still felt this way, but Sesshomaru was special to her in a way that incited only platonic love, bearing a fond, student-mentor relationship. She'd grown to accept and cherish that friendship (it was a lot better than when Sesshomaru degraded her every waking moment).

But when Sesshomaru tried to break that bond, to make it something much more…

What exactly was it that she was feeling?

Sesshomaru was important to her: he'd saved her so many times, taught her to fight and defend herself – to be a real demon – and ultimately rescued her and Kikka from a horrible life, giving them a new home and brighter future. She owed him so much, knowing she would never be able to fully repay his kindness, happily in his debt.

But ever since he tried kissing her – ever since he _did_ kiss her – she has been unable to return to that state of content.

And of course, every time she'd get close to that original sense of feeling, he would put her on edge again. Why was he so determined to have her? Why her of all people? What could she possibly offer him?

She couldn't stand this – this feeling of guilt. She had rejected him over and over, afraid of everything that would result, afraid of remembering the brothel and all she'd been through, seen and heard. She'd never been in an intimate relation with anyone, innocent to the brim.

And then Sesshomaru came along.

He had tried embracing her out in the fields, shocking her above all, leaving her mind numb to what she could possibly do, how to react. He had not gotten his way then, but it did not take long for him to make another move, approaching her without hesitation and stealing her first kiss.

Lenezma sighed forlornly, cuddling into her pillow as her heart fluttered, remembering the sensation that had passed through her, of his lips on hers, the sparks that flared in her chest.

And then she cringed as the same disturbance returned to her.

Len winced in pain as her stomach was suddenly twisted into a dozen knots, a shooting pain coursing throughout her body. She fought back on any cries of pain, but could not help but let a few tears slip.

_Why? Why is this happening?_ She wondered after the pain had lessened, leaving only her stomach in agony. _Whenever he gets close to me, it feels like my organs are twisting and writhing; why am I overwhelmed with pain like this? But it's not just that, I can feel my senses screaming… It's as if my body refuses to be taken in by him… _

But despite this pain, her heart was still afloat at the thought of his touch, the sensuality behind his every move, the way his eyes gazed into her own, his words calling her in every time…

Lenezma could not help but gasp in pain, the excruciating tremors wracking her body horribly, as if she were experiencing a seizure or a heart attack.

"Why…?" she gasped between pants, hardly able to move amidst the pain. "Why?"

And still her heart was euphoric.

The memories of his kisses, of responding to him and his touch – her body trembled.

No matter how much pain she endured, her heart was not swayed from its elation, unable to stop remembering the dog demon and his exhilarating tenderness…

_Why…? I want to be friends with him! Why do I reminisce so fondly? Why do I desire his touch?_

Another wave of agony scorched her body, forcing her into the fetal position as tears slipped from her eyes, gasps of pain escaping her lips uncontrollably, her fingers gripping the sheets in a death grip.

The bedroom door slid open slowly…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru sat peacefully against the wall, resting in his usual place straight across from the door of the fire room, the blazing fire dancing harmlessly in the pit.

It had only been about ten minutes since the girls retired to bed, leaving him alone to relax and think…

_"Thank you, Sesshomaru… Welcome home… Thanks for the help! I should have known you were leading me into defeat! … Goodnight, Sesshomaru…"_

Lenezma's smile flooded his head, the warmth and sparkle in her eyes causing his heart to swell. They were for him… beautiful and sincere smiles that pulled at his chest, reminding him every time of the desire to embrace her. He wanted to hold her in his arms when she laughed, he wanted her to smile with every kiss, to enjoy being with him…

He wanted her to be with him.

But ever since their first kiss, after she had complied with his embrace, she did not respond well to his advances.

Lenezma had responded to his kiss; she accepted his touch and held his shirt tightly amidst their embrace – and then pushed away.

To this day, he could not understand it: the tension, the fear, the trembling… She was visibly shaking, unable to look at him in her frantic frenzy before running away from him.

She apologized for her reaction, but he could tell that not even she understood it.

Even on the cliff's edge, when he'd stolen just that one, quick kiss, he knew she had broken down, her body shaking as if cold, unable to suppress it for several moments.

And then, of course, her reaction in the bedroom.

It may have been for different reasons, but the fear was still there.

He did it because of a memory, because of his father. If ever his mother was upset or fretting over something, his father would always embrace her from behind in such a way, holding her close, whispering in her ear; it had always worked for them, and it seemed like his best option at the time.

When she first tensed up, a slight shudder passing down her spine, he thought it was the same reaction as before, trying to come back, and that is why he did not let go; if he could comfort her, just get her to relax, he might be able to break through this fear. But when he caught the scent of fear, that's when he knew something was terribly wrong, releasing her just in time to escape the flames. Everything went downhill from there…

He now knew better than to rely on some of those memories. His mother and Lenezma were two very, very, very different people, and he did not have his father's romantic ideals.

Sesshomaru sighed heavily, his thoughts wrapped around Lenezma; could he really do it? Could he break through this sense of fear she bore? He knew not if it was a result of living in a brothel, surrounded by uncaring and disgusting humans, men who had to pay to have intercourse with a woman with no emotional attachment whatsoever.

Just the same, it was why he decided to back off for a while.

If he could get her accustomed to him once again, even if on a simple friend level, he could at least prove to her that he meant her no harm, to 'regain her trust.' He wanted her to see his true intentions, to show her that he wasn't like those filthy humans – she was not simply a piece of meat.

Though Sesshomaru did not admit this to himself, he wanted to appreciate her for everything she had, to experience all her worth – and let her know it.

He had grown an unusual attachment to her that he could not describe, one that demanded her concede and yet gently took her in with a tender touch.

Lenezma would not respond to acts of force, that was for damned sure. And despite his own wish to be affectionate with her, Sesshomaru knew that only a sensual approach would win her well protected heart.

Through some, small miracle, Sesshomaru was returned to reality by the roar of the fire and the popping, hot coals.

At first he was annoyed by this, but as he came to look upon the fire, he realized something was wrong.

The fire was twice as tall compared to before, dancing and waving savagely back and forth.

He slowly pulled himself to a stand, staying at a distance from the raging inferno, glad that the ceiling was taller here than any of the other rooms. _What is this? This reaction… it seems familiar…_

It was then that he managed to hear someone outside the door right before it flew open.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried out, a sense of panic in her eyes and voice. "Come quick! Something is wrong with Leny!"

When Sesshomaru arrived at the end of the hall, the door was wide open with Kikka and Jaken standing in the doorway, looking in nervously.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried out as he watched the dog demon approach, giving him a chance to check out the scene for himself before saying any more.

As Sesshomaru came up behind them and peered inside, he was indeed bewildered by the sight before them.

There was Lenezma, sitting on her knees in bed, the sheets sprawled out around her; she was hunched over in a tiny ball with her fingers tangled in her hair, gripping her skull tightly, her face hidden.

Her body was rocking ever so slightly as painful grunts and moans escaped her. It did not take long for him to realize why the munchkins were not at her side – flames were sparking uncontrollably from her back, leaping all about every five seconds or so.

"What happened?"

"We don't know," Kikka replied anxiously. "We had just gone to bed when we heard some weird noises. When we came in, she was rolling around in pain!"

"By the time I arrived, she just started this," Jaken added. "I have some medicine that should calm her down, but I can't get close enough with those flames! And Kikka claims her skin is hot to the touch as well!"

The girls nodded and watched curiously as Sesshomaru stepped past them and came to stand beside the bed, Lenezma oblivious to his presence.

Despite their warnings, Sesshomaru knelt down and reached a hand out to her, feeling the heat emanate from her body with several inches to spare.

"Lenezma?" he called out casually, seeing a slight reaction to his voice. "What's wrong?"

Though she heard him clearly, her mind would not register his voice for another five seconds, overwhelmed by the pain that wracked her body, over twice as powerful as before even though the sensual memories of Sesshomaru had disappeared amidst the antagonizing throbbing.

"It hurts!" she sobbed, her body curling even tighter. "It hurts!"

Cautiously, Sesshomaru's hand graced her shoulder, hoping that perhaps a gentle touch might help her in some way…

Her heart lifted, instantly recognizing his touch.

Her eyes flared… and so did more fire.

Sesshomaru backed away instantly at her cry of anguish, his fingertips scorched before reaching a safe distance.

What was this? Just what was happening to her? He barely touched her and she practically exploded, the fires jumping much more frequently, the heat coming off of her in waves.

It was then that he saw the sheets beneath her start smoking.

_I have to get her out of here or she'll burn the whole place down!_

"Rin! Kikka! Go prepare a cold bath! Now!" he added hastily with a true sense of urgency, shaking the girls into action, sending them running down the hallway as fast as their small legs could carry them.

"Jaken, bring your medicine to the bath house – we have to calm her down immediately!"

With a small string of hasty gibberish, Jaken also ran down the hallway at top speed.

Sesshomaru glanced around the room quickly, trying to figure out what he needed done first.

He stood and crossed to the window, opening it wide and allowing the moonlight to flood in almost beautifully. As he did so, the speeding girls had just reached the bath house and were already retrieving buckets of cold water from the well. Good…

He turned back to Lenezma, not surprised to find her status had not improved any. Knowing he had to hurry, he prepared himself for the next step.

With very little subtlety, he removed the large boa from his shoulder, as well as the swords at his belt. And in one last, hasty decision, he removed his armor as well.

The kind of heat she was producing would undoubtedly heat the armor to searing temperatures, even for the short time he would need to carry her.

Back at her side, he called to her gently, letting her know his intentions, but whether or not she heard him was unknown. With a quick, deep breath, he reached out and grabbed Lenezma.

His hands were instantly in pain, as if pressing them flat against a pan straight from the oven. With all the pain-tolerating strength he had, he lifted her into his arms, barely managing to settle her in the threshold position, cradling her balled up body close for comfort.

The instant she was in his arms, he dove for the window, jumping out in one swift motion, a trail of flames following them the entire way.

They landed softly just outside the bath house right as Kikka was bringing in another bucket of water. She watched anxiously as Sesshomaru rushed past her, his shirt in shambles, Lenezma's screams almost constant.

Sesshomaru went straight for the water-filled tub, hardly hesitating before semi-gently dropping her into the tub, an explosion of steam bursting on impact, blinding them from sheer thickness.

Lenezma writhed in the water, panting heavily as her claws gripped the edge of the tub, scratching at the fine marble. Sesshomaru snatched the pail of water from Kikka and proceeded to throw it over her, drenching her completely and producing more steam.

It was then that Jaken finally reached them, panting heavily with a small cup in his hand. Despite his confusion by the scene before him, he ran forward and handed the smelly cup to Sesshomaru, informing him it was the medicine she had to ingest.

He took the cup from the small imp and turned to Lenezma hastily, realizing he'd have to force her to drink it.

With his free hand he carefully took hold of her chin, his touch instantly arousing another grunt of pain, her head jerking in his grip, but he refused to let go.

After somehow managing to pry her jaw apart, he poured the liquid into her mouth before forcing it shut again, feeling her struggle to swallow the foul tasting liquid. Only when he was sure she had swallowed did he release her, allowing her fits to fade on their own.

For several, long moments, all four of them simply watched Lenezma's ecstatic behavior slowly diminish, bearing only the occasional twitch and jerk of some random body part, most often her head. Even her hands had managed to relax, dropping into the water heavily.

As soon as he was convinced she'd be okay, Sesshomaru turned and stepped outside of the bathhouse, coming to stand idly on the porch as he gazed out at the moonlit yard.

One by one, the midgets followed, shutting the door slightly to allow Lenezma a better rest.

"Um, Sesshomaru?" Kikka spoke up uneasily, "Are you all right?"

Most of the front half of his kimono had been burned away to tatters, sinking through even his under shirt, the holes now exposing his charred skin.

"I'll be fine, Kikka," he replied softly, meeting her eyes with a gentle gaze. Her heart warmed.

"Master Jaken," Rin started after peeking back in on Lenezma, "what did you give Leny? She doesn't look alive…"

"I'll admit that I prepared a stronger drug than I had originally intended, but only because I knew we would need something strong to knock her out!"

Lying still in the tub, Lenezma's body was limp, her head drooped to the side with an unusual glaze in her eyes, her mouth gaped open, as if she had slipped into a coma.

"Hmm… perhaps it was a little too strong…" Jaken mumbled to himself as he also looked in on her. "But what do you suppose caused her to suddenly react like that? Has this ever happened before?"

Kikka shook her head solemnly, "No, never."

"Well I've never heard of such a thing!" Jaken replied almost snottily, almost to say that if he'd never heard of it, it was new.

"… So…" Rin spoke up after a short silence, "what do we do now?"

"We should probably get her out of the bath now that she's calmed down," Kikka answered reasonably. "Get her back to bed, since Jaken has knocked her out cold!"

"Hmph!" was his only retort. "But where? Her bed was surely burned through before Lord Sesshomaru brought her out here!"

"What about the spare bed room?"

Jaken shook his head softly: "That bed is not prepared, nor is it clean – that entire room is filthy, a poor place to allow someone to recover."

"Mmm… she could sleep in our bed…" Rin muttered aloud. "I'm sure we could all fit and…"

"She'll sleep in my chambers."

"Huh?" all three of them turned to Sesshomaru with mild surprise, the dog demon turning back to them calmly.

"Lenezma is not to be disturbed; she must be allowed to rest fully in order to make sure she has recovered. Understood?"

All three nodded slowly, still trying to comprehend his generosity. Normally he was very protective of his chambers…

Suddenly he turned and walked past them, all six eyes watching him constantly as he moved to Lenezma's side once again.

Sesshomaru had to force himself from looking upon her fondly, or brushing the annoying hair out of her face, refraining from showing any form of sentimentality in front of his subjects.

Very carefully he reached down to the bottom of the tub, slipping his arms beneath her knees and around her shoulders like before, heaving her dripping wet body into the air before kindly setting her on the floor, resting her back against the wall.

It pained him to see her like this, her eyes clouded and a string of spittle slipping from her gaping mouth. He wanted to touch her – to fix all of these annoyances!

He turned to the girls lightly, "Rin, Kikka: go find another kimono for Lenezma – I'm entrusting her in your care."

Both gasped lightly before nodding firmly – Jaken just stared vacantly, speechless for once.

As Sesshomaru left the bath house, Rin turned to her companion: "I'll go get the new clothes – you start drying her, all right?"

Kikka nodded firmly before grabbing some towels, Rin yelling at Jaken behind her, dragging the imp out before shutting the door.

"No peeping!" Rin shook her finger rather giddily, smiling to herself as Jaken attempted to defend himself in a long string of random mumblings, the young girl ignoring him completely as she ran back to the stairs.

Jaken sighed as she disappeared, turning to find Sesshomaru standing idly several feet from the door, still staring out.

The imp waddled closer placidly, coming to stand beside his Lord.

He knew not what to say, wanting to question the dog demon's decision in allowing the woman to take refuge in his quarters, of how he handled her and spoke to the girls: _"I'm entrusting her in your care."_

Just what was all that about? He spoke as if he were handing them a simple object, or a pet for them to take care of while he was away.

As much as these thoughts nagged at the toad, he could not bring himself to ask, fearing some form of reprimand.

Jaken sighed once again, deciding instead to gaze up at the skies, unable to see the stars because of the full moon. _Hmm?_

"How ominous…" Jaken mumbled aloud, catching Sesshomaru's attention. "The moon is being eclipsed…"

At these words, Sesshomaru shifted his gaze, looking upon the bright white ball in the sky, finding a fourth of its bulk doused in black. He hadn't noticed this earlier while out on patrol, for it was a small shadow, but it seemed it would not last much longer for the edge of the black spot was nearing the perimeter.

_Ominous indeed…_

Rin scurried down the hall way at an even pace, not rushed by the fact that it would take Kikka a while to undress Lenezma and get her dry.

_"She'll sleep in my chambers."_

Rin reentered Lenezma's room slowly, glancing around before finding Len's chest concealed by the changing screen.

Just as Jaken had said, there was a nice hole in the center of Leny's bed, the surrounding area singed black.

Not far from the bed was Sesshomaru's armor and swords, sitting on the floor with a wild indifference, obvious that Sesshomaru had removed them in a hurry without taking the time to be gentle. Even his boa was strung out haphazardly nearby.

_"I'm entrusting her in your care."_

"Lord Sesshomaru… is it really true? Have you grown to love Leny?"

Past images flashed through her mind, all unpleasant memories that involved Sesshomaru and Lenezma having a scuffle or arguing – when he approached her about the garden, when Rin found Lenezma pinned to a tree by the neck, or even way back on the night that they met, when Sesshomaru had threatened her with his sword.

Kikka had later told her that it was really Sesshomaru who had hunted them down all over the forest with a true intent to kill.

_But…_ she held a folded kimono close to her heart, _anymore Leny speaks so fondly of you… _

She thought of the genuine expression of bewilderment and surprise that Lenezma had given her not even an hour ago when asked about Sesshomaru, when she flushed at such a personal question.

Rin was running back down the hallway and stairs, holding the kimono tightly; _She claimed she didn't want to stay here… she acted as if being with Lord Sesshomaru wasn't something she desired, as if she couldn't find love in him and had to seek it elsewhere…_

Rin entered the bathhouse smoothly, making sure the toad didn't try to peek.

Kikka welcomed her, hopeful that Rin might be able to assist her – she'd managed to remove Len's wet clothing, but it was hard to get her completely dry.

As the two managed to dry most of her and slip her into the new, dry clothing, Rin was still deep in thought:

_I wonder if something happened between them? Perhaps after all this time of training, just the two of them? Lenezma seemed sure of herself back then, but tonight, she blushed when I asked about it. I wonder what it could really mean?_

The girls reopened the door when they had finished dressing Lenezma, informing Sesshomaru that she was ready.

Rin watched closely as Sesshomaru neared the limp body, hoping to catch some kind of sign, something to confirm her theories and suspicions…

Kikka, who remained at Lenezma's side, watched disheartened as Sesshomaru approached, the young human wanting to stay at her sister's side in her time of weakness.

Her eyes followed Sesshomaru's every movement, witnessing for herself the grace and genteel with which he slipped his arms around her – _twitch_ – lifting her up effortlessly in silence, not even glimpsing Kikka's way as he turned to leave.

But he stopped suddenly as something snagged, glancing down to find that it was Kikka herself.

While draped in his arms, Lenezma's left hand dangled weakly at her side; in a strange fit of desperation to keep her sister, Kikka had taken a hold of her hand, gripping it tightly.

At his hesitation, the two met eyes for a few voiceless seconds, finding a quiet understanding in this time of concern.

Sesshomaru exit the bathhouse and continued towards the stairs, Kikka at his side, holding her sister's hand like a child would to its mother.

What scared her, however, was the death grip that Lenezma returned in unconsciousness.

Rin and Jaken watched them in sustained silence, neither sure of what they could say, both lost in their own thoughts over the matter. Jaken could not determine what his lord was thinking being _that_ generous to the half-demon, while Rin was unable to find an auspicious indication that the dog demon really had deeper feelings for Leny.

_But Lord Sesshomaru is very skilled at not revealing his emotions… I'll have to think of something else if I'm to prove my theory!_

Kikka opened the large, double-door entrance into Sesshomaru's chambers, both overcome by a sweet fragrance.

Scattered in several places about the room were vases full of flowers, bearing all colors of the rainbow.

But Sesshomaru was hardly slowed down, entering without hesitation unlike his human companion, who had barely come in here with Rin to set up the flowers – this was only the second time she'd ever been in here.

But his pace did not allow for her to sort through her feelings. He walked right in, heading straight for his large bed, uninterested in Kikka's insecurity.

Swallowing her fears, she kept at his side all the way over to the large bed, where he stopped and once again rest his eyes upon her.

"Kikka" was all he had to say as she caught his gaze, realizing what he wanted. It took her a moment to pry her fingers out of Len's grip, hoping Sesshomaru had not seen, before reaching down and pulling the corner of the blanket back.

Sesshomaru waited rather patiently until the bed had been parted enough; he knelt down peacefully, resting her feet upon the soft bedding first, slowly letting her body fall to the white cushion below.

Kikka watched in ignorant bliss as the dog demon settled her down with an unnatural kindness and genteel, using all of his grace to be as fond and delicate with her as possible. It took him almost twice as long to ease her head onto the pillow compared to her frail figure, taking every care to ensure that she would be comfortable, with every annoyance taken care of, namely her bangs.

At his silent request, Kikka handed the edge of the cover to him, watching as he covered her up with another touch of serenity.

She could not help but stare with worried eyes, afraid for her sister's life. Leny had calmed down considerably thanks to the cold bath and Jaken's medicine, but could not help but worry, remembering how, even in sleep, her hand reacted and grabbed hers with a powerful grip.

"Sesshomaru… is she going to be okay? Is Leny…?"

"She'll be fine."

Kikka blinked curiously at his quick response – his words were comforting yet intense.

_I have no idea what is doing this to her… Even if she were fighting off possession, she would not have reacted so severely with her powers gone out of control. So why…?_

"Thank you."

His eyes glanced back up, finding the young human girl staring down at her sister with melancholic eyes and a cheerless smile.

"You've been so good to us all this time, always there to help Leny out when she's in trouble… Heh, it's kind of funny, actually," she gazed up into his golden rods, somehow managing a sincere touch of humor to her sad face. "Before, it was me who always got into trouble, but ever since we came to these parts, it seems like she has needed rescuing time after time…

"Thank you… for everything… If not for you, I don't know what might have happened to her…" she faded off miserably, her smile disappearing as she looked upon her unconscious sister yet again, remembering her cries of pain.

Through every word and motion she gave off, Sesshomaru could not help but see Lenezma in her, taking after her sister in so many ways beyond mere appearances. This was perhaps the first time that Sesshomaru had had a real moment with Kikka, seeing her for her worth just as he had with Lenezma. When entering adulthood, he had a feeling that she would be a prize for any man… just like her sister…

"Come, let's give her some rest…" he called to her faintly, almost warmly, as he pushed back up to a stand. Kikka remained at her side for several more seconds, wanting to stay, but obeyed his commands; he had taken care of them for this long, she knew she could trust him for one more night.

Side by side, the two walked out of the room in silence, Sesshomaru shutting the door gently behind them.

"Will you check in on her later for me?" Kikka asked him innocently. "Just to make sure she's okay?"

Sesshomaru could do no more than stare at her for a few seconds before nodding his head.

Kikka grinned unusually bright at his compliance, smiling warmly as she thanked him once again and hugged the side of his leg, surprising him to say the least. "Good night, Sesshomaru!" she backed away, giving a slight wave before turning to return to her own room.

The white demon watched her go in stunned silence, shocked by her sudden accustom to him, going so far as to embrace him.

With a faint sigh, Sesshomaru also turned, heading outside with the intent of hunting demons. As greatly as he desired to stay at Lenezma's side, his excuse to keep the others out of the room applied to him as well. Besides, it was his original plan to return to patrol after taking a break in the fire room, never imagining what was to happen…

Kikka watched as he walked out of sight, smiling to herself tranquilly.

When she opened her bedroom door, she stopped quite suddenly, realizing that her roommate was not present. _Where's Rin?_

Her head turned at a noise, surprised to find that Jaken and Rin were just now coming up the stairs. With a silent nod goodnight, Jaken entered his room calmly, leaving Rin to walk in solitude…

"What took you?" Kikka ran over to her best friend, curious of the strange look upon her face.

"Oh, nothing, Jaken and I were just talking,"

"About what?" she cocked her head, honestly intrigued by their private conversation.

"Oh… nothing…" Rin faded. Her eyes glanced at Sesshomaru's doors subtly; "So is Leny resting?"

"Yeah, I helped Sesshomaru put her to bed… He seems to think she'll be all right if she gets some sleep, so that's what I'm hoping for."

"I see…" she faded softly. Then, very boldly, Rin went to his door and began prying it open.

"Ah! What are you doing?" Kikka gasped.

Rin shushed her quickly, giving a small smile to comfort her – "Don't worry! I'll just be a second, I promise…"

Kikka scratched her arm nervously, unsure about Rin's decision, but unable to deny her either. "Well, all right… just don't bother her, okay?"

"I'll be careful, I just want a few seconds alone with her… I'll be back in a minute."

Very softly, Rin shut the door in Kikka's face before turning towards the bed where she could just barely make out Lenezma's form in the darkness.

She tiptoed closer, stopping at the edge of the bed to stare for a moment before dropping to her knees, simply gazing…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"It's certainly odd what happened to Lenezma, isn't it?" Jaken started after a few moments of silence, Sesshomaru and Kikka just turning the corner to the stairs.

"Yeah… I hope she's going to be okay,"

"I'm sure she will. Lord Sesshomaru was brilliant in coming up with the idea to give her a cold bath! But…"

_Hmm?_ Rin glanced down at the imp, curious of his sudden halt in boasting Sesshomaru's intelligence. "What is it?"

"Huh? Er, well…" he stuttered, ashamed of himself for admitting it out loud: "As smart and brave as he was, I wonder if it was really such a good idea to allow her to stay in his room…"

Her eyes widened softly; _Does he feel the same way that I do?_

"What do you mean?"

At that moment, some of Jaken's cockiness returned, more in an attempt to convince himself than Rin: "Ah, well, you're too young to understand, Rin. When you grow up, you'll realize what I'm talking about!"

He did feel that way, she could tell; Jaken was just as suspicious of Lord Sesshomaru and Lenezma as she, but was obviously too stubborn to admit it. No doubt, she realized, that it had a lot to do with Leny's heritage.

She almost felt like sharing her thoughts with him, hoping to get a second opinion and insight to the relationship that had formed between the two demons, but ultimately knew it would do her no good. Jaken would shoot her down and probably insult her for thinking such ways and never reveal what little he knew.

No, for now, she'd keep it in, even away from Kikka who didn't seem to realize it was even happening. Who knows how much her companion had seen or heard and never realized what was really happening…?

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

_Oh, Leny,_ she thought as she glanced over her still form, tucked away neatly in Sesshomaru's massive bed, _what exactly is happening? Is there really something happening between you and Lord Sesshomaru? I can't help but wonder!_

_There has to be something – something! – I just haven't figured it out yet. I've seen you together before, I've seen the way he looks at you sometimes… I think I first noticed it when we brought you home after that last wolf attack; Lord Sesshomaru kept looking down at you, holding you close in his arms… That same fondness came out again when he came to your aid tonight, every time he picked you up, there was a warmth in his eyes that I've never seen before, a peculiar tenderness to his touch… Argh, I want to know!_

And suddenly, just then, an idea popped into Rin's head, causing a faint grin to appear. _That's it! I'm going to test this once and for all!_

A few moments later, Rin exit the room to find Kikka still waiting for her, slightly disheartened that Rin had been allowed alone time with Leny while she had not – even though she was technically the one who gave permission.

"Ready?" Rin asked cheerfully, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion getting ready to kick in.

Kikka nodded with a smile of her own, joining Rin in the short trip back to their rooms.

"Hey, Kikka, I wanted to ask you something… You were in there with Lord Sesshomaru, weren't you?"

Kikka blinked curiously at her words, nodding truthfully, wondering where this was going: "Yes, why?"

"Well, I was just wondering… I know you were both focused on Leny, but did he happen to mention anything about the flowers?"

A slight pain stabbed her heart at this question, realizing before Rin had even finished the sentence that Sesshomaru had been too concentrated on Lenezma and herself to take a good look at the room full of flowers, the flowers Rin had worked so hard for and put all of her love into, just for him…

"Of course he did!" Kikka smiled brightly, giggling, not once allowing the disheartening truth to reveal itself on her face. "That was the first thing he noticed as soon as we opened the doors!"

"Really? What did he say?"

Rin fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

"He said he couldn't believe how many there were, and how his room hadn't smelled that nice in a long time!"

Rin's eyes wavered, her heart swelling with joy, hoping with all her might that it was true, knowing that that was exactly the type of thing Sesshomaru would say, never directly complimenting them. "Did he really?"

"Of course he did! Just wait, I'll bet he'll tell you himself tomorrow!" Kikka giggled, happy to find that Rin had fallen for it, making her much happier than before. After yesterday's crying fest, she was afraid Rin may not recover very quickly, but was glad to find that Sesshomaru and Leny's plan had worked.

Yes, she knew of Lenezma's hand in the plot, but also knew that it really was Sesshomaru's idea to take her out there to pick flowers. But that didn't matter, just knowing that Rin was going to bed happy was all she cared about.

Just as Kikka was seen for her resemblance to her older sister, she proved how similar they were yet again: for the sake of Rin's happiness, both lied through their teeth and felt no regrets.

* * *

The cuteness resumes in the next chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

**Seventeen**

It was late in the evening when Sesshomaru finally returned to the mansion, set on checking up on Lenezma – just as he had promised – while also changing his shirt and reapplying his equipment.

It wasn't until he had meant to kill a large ogre type beast with the Tokijin that he realized he never retrieved his usual garnishes, still adorning his tattered and burned shirt, the sleeves hanging off his arms in shreds.

He went to Lenezma's room first to pick up his goods, making a mental note to have Jaken prepare a new bed for her, hoping there was still a good one lying around the mansion somewhere so that he wouldn't have to send him out for a new one.

After latching the window shut, he carried his things back down the hall to his room, sliding the door open as quietly as he could, popping his head in first to check on the sleeping beauty…

Good, just as he had left her.

As silent as possible, Sesshomaru slipped into the room and managed to walk around the bed and set his things down in the corner where he always kept them.

With the doors shut, the armor in place, and the unconscious still catatonic, Sesshomaru made his way over to the closet and retrieved a new, gray and blue shirt, tossing the old, white shredded one to the floor. As he changed, he found it a small miracle that neither his pants nor his sash had been damaged, leaving no reason to change either.

As he finished with his kimono top, he slowly turned to look upon his bed like so many times already, gazing at the sleeping form.

With even more of his stalking abilities put in to action, Sesshomaru was able to cross back over to the bed and crawl onto the vacant side, sitting beside her with dreamy eyes…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

…Flashback…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"Lenezma!" all three munchkins cried out, Ah-Un landing urgently to allow not only his riders to get close, but to check on the feline himself.

Kikka jumped from his back before he'd even touched ground, rushing to Sesshomaru as fast as possible, her sister draped in his arm with tattered and bloody clothing, ash clinging to her skin and kimono.

"Leny! Leny are you all right?" she cried frantically as she grabbed her arm, shaking it mildly.

"She's all right, Kikka," Sesshomaru replied calmly as he met the girl's eyes.

"Ah! I get it!" Jaken spoke as the whole thing came together. "Lenezma must have reverted back to her demon state just in time! She must have been the cause of that explosion!"

Sesshomaru's silent gaze confirmed Jaken's theory, however, he could not help but wonder as he gazed down at the woman in his arms: _Was it really just on time? _

"Come, we're leaving," he announced firmly as Kikka stepped away after crossing Len's hands over her stomach.

"Ah! Where to, my Lord?" Jaken scuttled alongside the great dog demon as he walked further away from the tree line, still bearing Lenezma.

"Home."

As simple as that, white fog began to emanate from the white demon's feet, lifting him into the air.

"Ah! Wait for me!" Jaken cried out, trying to catch the cloud in time but Sesshomaru had already ascended, leaving the imp dumbfounded on the ground. "Oh… how cruel…"

"Come on, Jaken!" Kikka called out with a slight giggle as she lifted the imp off his feet, grabbing him by the back of the kimono as Ah-Un and Rin flew past. With surprising maneuverability, Kikka took hold of the dragon and managed to lift herself up on to its back before rising in altitude, bringing the screaming imp with her.

Sesshomaru ignored all of it.

Half concentrating on where he was going, the rest of his mind was centered on the sleeping beauty in his arms. Despite having fainted from exhaustion, Lenezma looked like she was enjoying her rest, her face snuggled into his chest peacefully.

_It doesn't appear that she was harmed too badly; the bite marks were shallow and have mostly healed by now, as have some of her previous wounds,_ he noted as he looked over the part of her arm where the bandages had been removed for Rin. _I think she managed to revert in time, as Jaken said… It does not appear that the wolves were able to carry out their plans…_ he thought half-heartedly, remembering the rage that had swelled up inside of him when the wolves revealed their intentions.

"Thank goodness Leny is all right," Kikka mumbled in relief, watching the two demons ahead of them fondly.

"I hope so," Rin replied, also watching them. "Leny just hasn't been the same recently. Hopefully this will bring her back to normal!"

Rin cocked her head awkwardly at that point, deaf to the words shared between Kikka and Jaken as she stared at Sesshomaru, realizing he was not looking ahead, but gazing down at Lenezma, his arms cradling her with the utmost care…

His eyes bore down on her heavily, enjoying every passing second with her body in his arms, his hand caressing her bare flesh. "… At least they didn't hurt you…" he whispered ever so gently to her sleeping form.

His heart pounded like a drum as his grip around her tightened, pulling her in as close as he could. He felt helpless under this spell, caught in a web that bound him to Lenezma, and even though she was the spider, he was drawn to her all the more; a victim captivated by the beauty and wonder of its captor, no matter how close death approached, accepting it if that is what it took to be with her, if even for a moment.

His mind was lost: he could not believe how much power she had over him, seduced by some force that he could not fathom, that she did not willingly give off. Looks wise, he had seen better, but still he was lured in by the beauty she possessed; personality wise, she was about the same with a few varying factors, but still he yearned for her as if those diversities were all that mattered.

She had grown strong since he took her under his wing, now considered a threat by many demons – especially after today. Though there were still many, stronger females out there, he felt as if none of them compared, as if she, Lenezma, was all that mattered…

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru couldn't help it… it felt like an obsession, this desire to look upon her, even in sleep, to touch her skin, to taste her lips… and yet he could not have her.

His lust for her, however, could not break his will – the desire to be accepted by her, not just use her for carnal pleasure.

Someone told him once that a woman's heart should not be tampered with, but respected (and sometimes feared); if she does not fall for you on a whim, you must coax her through repeated attempts of grace, class, and charm… maybe even some stupidity once in a while, if she's the type who'll accept it.

In short, win her heart.

But what would it take to win the fiery feline? She has rejected his 'repeated attempts,' pushing him away, discarding him like weeds in her garden – and yes, he _had_ taken time out of his day just to stop and watch the curious spectacle… on more than one occasion, no less…

He edged closer, leaning in alongside her torso, staring intensely…

Why…?

His body settled beside hers; he reached his hand out ever so gently, brushing her bangs to the side, caressing her cheeks tenderly, relishing in the feel of her warm flesh…

Why couldn't he have her?

_Twitch._

He continued to close the gap between them, his hand cupping her cheek lightly, holding her ever so delicately as his eyes faded shut, his faint breath anxious as he pressed his lips against her own with a quiet fervor, holding her in his passionate embrace…

What did he have to do to _win her heart_?

_Thu-thump!_

Sesshomaru's ears twitched curiously, his senses forcing him to part lips as the deep drumming grew louder, beating powerfully.

His eyes glanced down at her upper chest, locating the source… Was it her heart? Could… could it have reacted to his embrace?

He wanted to think of this as a good sign, an indication in his favor, but when his goldenrods returned to her eyelids, his chest was filled with ache, finding the same look of agony spread across her face as before, even after so much rest.

But why? What caused her to react this way once again? What brought it about in the first place?

In a sympathetic gesture, he grazed her cheek with his claws once again, sighing helplessly…

Lenezma's painful gasp rang powerfully in his ears, her body jerking for a split second as a shiver ran down her spine, scaring Sesshomaru's hand away.

_What is this? It's as if she's reacting to my touch!_

His eyes widened with a dramatic decline in his own heart rate. _No… it couldn't be…_

It was right then that things became clear to him, the truth revealing itself in a wave of agony that spread through his chest.

Just moments before this whole mess happened, Sesshomaru had been in the fire room contemplating over Lenezma, actually thinking about all the times that he had embraced her and how she would react, breaking down into a fit of shivers that drove her body insane… just as she'd done every time he barely touched her, filling her with unspeakable anguish.

No! This couldn't be right! The power of one's instincts was strong, he knew that, but to cause such a powerful reaction at the slightest touch was madness! It couldn't possibly be a conscious response.

But what of her heart? It seemed to sing when he kissed her, still beating heavily despite her pain. Was there conflict between her heart and instincts? Did her heart actually enjoy his touch?

Though it pained him to see her writhe, he had to find out!

Very gently, Sesshomaru reached out and grazed her cheek sensually once again – her body flinched, but the drumming intensified. It did not beat out of fear or anguish – he knew for he had experienced those particular sounds hundreds of times before. No, this was something different, something lighter that did not promote anxiety in anyway, but a peaceful… harmonious sensation.

What did this mean though?

He had discovered a source of her pain: a subconscious desire to keep away from him, causing physical pain in order to support this instinctual request. But despite the torture, her heart sang as if oblivious to this other control factor, seemingly enjoying his presence.

Could it be that, regardless of all her words and actions, he had already won her heart? Did Lenezma not see this truth? Could she not tell that her own heart had been taken in by him?

He stared for minutes on end, watching as she slowly returned to normal from the lack of his touch, listening to her heart beat stabilize.

"You poor creature… You really don't know what you want, do you?" he sighed, deeply desiring to touch her. Instead, he simply reached across and grabbed the comforter's edge, pulling it higher up on her chest, straightening the bed spread across her form, slightly giving in to his longings by playing with her hair, brushing its softness with his claws, picking at her bangs once again.

Very slowly he came back to a stand, still staring before finally managing to remove himself from the room, forcing himself outside to continue on the hunt.

_The heart tends to be stronger than the mind, especially in those with human blood… If I have already won your heart, then it is the mind I must yet persuade if I am to have you…_

He stopped and stared up at the full moon, now free of its black shadow. _I'll free you from this pain… I promise… _

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

It was just past dawn by the time someone visited Lenezma again, tiptoeing in to prevent waking the slumbering feline, who hadn't moved at all it seemed.

_Good, it doesn't look like Leny moved! _The young girl thought with slight relief as she stepped closer.

Rin settled peacefully beside her, looking over her curiously, searching for specific details, her heart beating rapidly in anticipation…

_I don't believe it… it's true… _she thought with wide eyes, all of her suspicions confirmed almost better than she had suspected, making the truth all the more obvious: _He loves her… Lord Sesshomaru loves Lenezma…_

The indicators she'd left to test him had all been dealt with: the messed up hair, the bangs in her face, the crumpled up blanket that didn't even cover her all the way, simple annoyances that Sesshomaru would normally ignore, but they were all neat and perfect…

_Lord Sesshomaru…_

Her eyes closed softly… and a large grin crossed her face.

_I'm so happy!_

Sesshomaru turned the corner and entered the long hallway casually, intent on simply seeing if Lenezma were awake yet, but stopped almost instantly at the sound of a door opening. His senses heightened as he watched his own door widen – _Lenezma?_

And suddenly his hopes were reduced to the miniature form that slipped out the door, sneaking out and closing the door silently.

"Rin?"

Rin jumped at his call, turning to him with obvious surprise.

"What are you doing?" he asked callously, taking several steps closer.

"Er, forgive me, Lord Sesshomaru, I simply wished to see if Leny was awake yet!" she bowed lightly, innocence in her eyes.

"And?" he asked faintly just before prying the door open for himself, gazing in to find her still sleeping peacefully in the darkness (remember, the sun rise is on the other side of the house).

"I don't think she's moved at all," Rin whispered back as she also gazed in at his side. She hid a smirk: "She sure is beautiful there, isn't she?"

Rin stared up at his face, but he revealed nothing – she wanted to giggle. Sesshomaru glanced down at her after a moment, but only for a second to study her innocence before looking back, never saying a word.

Rin's heart fluttered excitedly, using all of her will power to keep from smiling or letting on that she knew the truth.

She backed up a step, "Well, I'm going to go take a bath now!" she excused herself easily, turning and running back to her room with a giddy smile.

"Rin!"

The young human hesitated nervously, slowing to a stop and turning with the same expression of innocence. "Hmm?"

A moment of silence followed as Sesshomaru stared, the bedroom door shut once again. With a slight glance away, it seemed like the dog demon swallowed a bit of his pride: "The flowers are lovely…"

Rin could only stare blankly as he spoke before allowing her bright smile to show, her combined joy showing itself for all its worth as she giggled excitedly.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

The next week and a half went by rather smoothly for the residents of the Plains mansion: the girls would play all day out in the yard with Ah-Un and occasionally Jaken, while Lenezma spent her afternoons doing some personal training. Sesshomaru, of course, was always out on patrol while Jaken mostly wasted the day away within the confines of his room.

And just as Sesshomaru had promised, Lenezma's old friendship with the demon had resumed, 'regaining her trust.'

When meeting out in the fields, Sesshomaru would guide and direct her, suggesting and commenting on her abilities, pointing out her flaws and how to improve.

And on several occasions, after scrutinizing her thoroughly, she would accompany him on his patrol, gaining first hand-knowledge of the various demons, the knowhow, and being able to watch the demon in action. And as her mixed up head realized early off, these patrols also brought personal time for the two of them just to be around one another. Though it still scared her a little, fearing he might try and cross that fine line yet again, she found it to be quite relaxing, allowing her time to gain extra insight on the great dog demon.

To bring up that terrible night became taboo for the five of them; after Kikka and, mostly, Rin explained what happened to her and one simple, bashful thank-you from the feline to the canine, it was not mentioned again.

Lenezma had regained consciousness long after noon had passed, and was very confused upon waking, to say the least. Much to her luck, the girls just happened to check in on her at that point, calming her and explaining everything that happened – Rin wording everything very carefully to her advantage.

Lenezma was, and still is, unable to remember any of it. The last thing she could recall was telling the girls goodnight – no more.

But when they told her where she was, she nearly had a breakdown, instantly nervous of being in his room, spending the entire night in his bed…

Kikka could not understand this fear, especially after seeing how gentle he'd been with her throughout this whole ordeal. Rin, on the other hand, was forced to come to terms with the fact that Leny truly didn't feel the same way about her Lord. She knew what she thought before, but only that kind of reaction would come from someone who did not accept the other's love. _But that blush… it had to have meant something! … Didn't it?_

Even though it turned out there wasn't any good bedding to be found, Lenezma refused Kikka's innocent suggestion of staying in Sesshomaru's room. Instead, until Jaken took Ah-Un out to fetch some new mattress pads, she slept in the same room as the girls.

Throughout the time since Len's strange 'accident,' Sesshomaru kept his distance, putting her at ease, but Rin's efforts did not cease – and she was very sly in her endeavors.

Her knowledge was unknown to all of them except Ah-Un, who, much to her dismay, could not offer her any advise or suggestions, merely listen to her when she was 100% sure that no one else was around.

Simply put, the young girl was skilled at feigning complete innocence: though she might "randomly" blurt something out while around Leny, no matter how scrutinous her gaze might be, she was fooled every time by Rin's callous manner. Unable to remember Rin's comment on the night of her incident, Lenezma had little reason to believe that Rin knew anything, but you have to remember that the young girl has spent a lot of time with Sesshomaru: she knows how to study people, to figure out everything about them and play them like fools to her advantage. But unlike her lord, she did so with good intentions.

Though cute and huggable in every way, young Rin always knew just the thing to say at all times, managing to slip in innuendos and hidden messages without anyone able to realize it. _She will someday, _Rin smiled one night while curled up in bed, _when she finally accepts Lord Sesshomaru's love, she'll see a whole new side of him and come to face my hints one after another…_

But she steered clear of Sesshomaru with such tactics; she knew he would catch on in a heartbeat and wouldn't hesitate to confront her. No, she wanted to remain in the shadows and off the radar, hoping, more than anything else, that Len would fall for him naturally, that Sesshomaru would breech her defenses and they could finally be together…

As the second week drew to a close, the house was incredibly quiet after a peaceful, afternoon rain shower. It was growing later in the evening, the girls finally settling down for bed in their room, Lenezma taking a bath, and Sesshomaru resting in the fire room.

It was silent all throughout the yard and house, Ah-Un dozing under the usual tree, with only the fire's cackling ringing in Sesshomaru's ears as he sat peacefully, eyes closed.

He looked up at the door as it suddenly slid open, Lenezma standing there with a silly grin. Her hair was still damp from the bath, wearing her usual red night kimono with the lavender, carrying some objects in her hand. Without a word, she held them up for him to see plainly: it was Issen.

They sat across from each other, the board and pebbles all set between them.

"I take it you've got the basic game play down after watching us play last time, but I'll inform you of any rules you don't know," Len offered, signaling him to go first.

Sesshomaru grumbled to himself; _Why am I playing this?_

He picked up his first stone with his claws and moved it forward.

As time went on, it seemed to Lenezma that he didn't need any help – hell, he was kicking her butt! It didn't seem to matter where she moved her pieces, Sesshomaru countered and knocked them out.

She sighed and hung her head when he beat her. "Again."

So again they played, Lenezma trying out some different tactics this time.

"Again," she called after her second defeat in a row.

And so they played… again… and again… and yet again, Sesshomaru beating her every time. She'd get close a few times, but then he'd turn around and obliterate her.

She couldn't understand how he could keep beating her like this! It was unbelievable! But she wasn't about to give up, she'd keep going until she won, even if this went on well into the morning. _I have to prove Sesshomaru can be beaten just like anybody else!_

"Why are you so determined to win?" Sesshomaru asked after her eighth miserable defeat.

"Because I know you can be defeated! I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you can't always win," she smiled as she set the next game up. To her dismay, a ninth loss went by.

His golden eyes watched as she began resetting the board. They had had a relatively good time as they played, but this was getting sad even by his standards.

"It's late; you're too tired to go on."

"No way!" she replied quickly, slightly catching him off guard. "You're the one who always told me to never make any excuses for myself, and I'm not giving up! There's no way I'm going to let you take your tenth victory in a row!"

Sesshomaru stared at her, the determination in her eyes, voice, and even her movements were clear. But this did not lighten him up any, he'd play just as he had been: to win.

But within the first few moves, Sesshomaru instantly found there was no order to her moves, it all seemed… random. There were a few times she completely mirrored his moves, others when she'd sacrifice a piece to move something unnecessary.

"So, I never did ask," Lenezma suddenly spoke up, the first time they'd spoken during this particular game, "did you notice the new flowers the girls brought you the other day?"

"… I thought they looked fresh."

She smiled, "You should have seen them; they were so happy, placing them around your room, especially Rin… She's a special girl, all right…"

Sesshomaru watched as Lenezma knocked out one of his pieces. He sighed faintly…

"She's quite taken with you and Kikka," he commented a few seconds later. "She thinks a lot of you."

"Well, I think a lot of her… She's such a pure and strong child, stronger than I ever was, that's for sure. I guess that's what happens when you hang out with demons all the time," she grinned prudishly as she met his gaze.

"I'm just glad she and Kikka don't have a care in the world… they just play and play all day, never a worry on their minds."

"They worry more than you think."

"Hmm?" Len gazed at him curiously.

"When you were still training they were anxious – their greatest fear came when you were injured," he spoke rather bluntly, referring to the time she was human. "That and the incident."

"I don't know," Len smiled, not taking his words seriously, "I think Rin was more worried when you claimed to hate flowers!"

But Sesshomaru remained stern, erasing her smile. "That morning a shadow attacked you while you were human, I overheard you and Rin…"

Len was still as he spoke, recalling that he had admitted this to her once before when confronting her about leaving. She doubted he would bring it up again, but had no idea what else he referred to – she could barely remember that day.

"… When you spoke of leaving…"

Lenezma hesitated. She'd been in the middle of moving a piece but stopped, her hand shaking slightly as she tried to remember what she planned to do with it. "Oh?"

Sesshomaru stared at the board for a long moment, closing his eyes as he moved his next piece, "Rin seemed quite adamant about your decision…"

"Yeah… I was kind of surprised by it, actually. I didn't realize my sisters were so strongly attached to me."

His eyes met hers firmly: "You're not their sister; you're more like a mother to them."

Len blinked with a chuckle, shaking her head lightly, "Mother? I don't know about that…"

"You've protected and been there for Kikka her whole life. You tried to protect Rin, a total stranger, from someone you knew you couldn't beat. You've always been more concerned with their well-being than your own, even at the risk of your life. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that sounds more like a mother than a mere sister."

Len stared at him, lost at what she could possibly say. She remained quiet, leaving the discussion where it was as she took another turn.

Time went on in eerie silence as the game progressed. At length, Lenezma's newfound strategy seemed to be working. Due to the randomness of her movements, Sesshomaru found it difficult to calculate her intentions.

Len smiled to herself as she took out Sesshomaru's second strongest piece, something she hadn't even been able to accomplish all nine other games.

"That also reminds me of a conversation I overheard," Sesshomaru said easily, not too concerned about the loss. Hell, if anything he was proud, but he'd never let on or admit it.

"What's that?" she asked indifferently.

"When you and Jaken were discussing the Panther Tribe conflict,"

Len smirked as she stared at him, "Man, you don't miss a thing, do you?"

He ignored this comment as he continued on topic, "I could agree with Jaken right now; it's probably a good thing you _weren't_ involved in that incident.

"You were correct in finding it a better idea to revive their master before bringing me into the fight, it would have proved more difficult; just as you have done now by taking out one of my strongest."

Len smiled, accepting his comment wholeheartedly, but not saying anything of it for fear he might repel from her if she pointed out his remark.

"Yeah, and I'm not low enough to steal your friends, either…"

Sesshomaru thought back on how three of Inuyasha's companions had been taken hostage, intended for sacrifice. He even recalled several instances in which Rin had been taken in order to lure him.

He quickly pushed all thoughts aside to suppress a growl that tried crawling up his throat, concentrating yet again on the game.

"Besides," Len smiled slightly, "if I'd been a part of them, I wouldn't be here right now,"

Len took hold of a piece and moved it without hesitation, originally thought to be just another arbitrary move, but Lenezma's smile grew with a soft chuckle.

"I win."

_Hmm?_ Sesshomaru wondered, studying the board… _Damn…_

"Congratulations," he spoke as apathetically as ever.

"Yeah… Victory wasn't as sweet as I'd hoped it to be…" she sighed. _You could have at least __**pretended**__ to be upset, but then that would go against your very way of life._

"It seldom is," he replied, his eyes staring straight into hers.

He handed all his pieces to Len as she slipped them back into the satchel, closing it before pushing herself up to her knees, stretching greatly.

Sesshomaru stood as well, but did not stretch, merely continued to watch her.

She smiled smugly, "Okay, victory is starting to sink in now! It took ten games to do it, but I finally beat you! Out of everything, that's, what? 1 - 500?" she laughed, even gaining a slightly amused expression from Sesshomaru, but it disappeared before she could realize it was there.

"Uh-huh! You're just disappointed because I proved you _could_ be beaten at something! I bet you're one of those people who take defeat pretty hard,"

"That only depends,"

"On?"

"Whether I know I can come back and win in the end,"

"Oh yeah? Give me an example," she smiled, feeling silly tonight. For her, it was one of those times when you were so tired you were giggly.

"Like with the panthers," he replied after a moment of searching. "During our first encounter, there was no victor; countless demons were slain and the cats ran away. I disliked the outcome, but knew the next time would be different. And it was; they were defeated at their own game."

Lenezma nodded, accepting it as a plausible situation. Then suddenly, his eyes seemed to… _change_ as the fire danced in them.

"Or," he began, finding another example, "with you."

Len caught her breath as he finished, the look on his face suddenly seemed so… tantalizing…

She found herself utterly lost in his gaze, holding her breath every second, the pounding of her own heart echoing in her ears. She had no idea why she was reacting in such a way, but his words most definitely set off a chain reaction within her.

She watched restlessly as he took cautious steps towards her; she could sense the uncertainty in his movements. _Is he unsure of whether he should approach me? Afraid he might be rejected again? Afraid… of me? Being hurt again?_

She doubted it, even as she thought it, keeping in mind that Sesshomaru was unafraid of anything. He probably wouldn't even fear someone that he very well knew could kill him. He would keep fighting… keep trying… like he has with her.

She was so sure Sesshomaru had actually given up on her, especially after all those arguments, but here he was, that familiar dreamy look glistening in his goldenrods.

_He moves like this now, because… he wants to make sure I'm okay with it. To make sure this is what I want… The only question that remains is… Is it?_

Sesshomaru stopped but a foot away, giving her one last moment to allow her to think, to let her decide.

He could hear her heart racing excitedly like before, sensing him long before he even touched her. If he could just finish the job, he was so close…!

"… Lenezma…" he spoke after a moment, in a strange, and… different tone of voice. She'd never heard him speak like this and it only drew her in more, that bizarre passion behind his voice.

The pure majesty in the way her name had just been spoken cried out to her, carrying her into her own dream world, feeling herself give in to his advance.

After some inner debate, still unsure of her, Sesshomaru very gently, very slowly set his right hand on her upper arm.

But just as he touched her, something from within began to scream and yell at Lenezma "No! No!", ripping her horribly from her dream state.

Upon an instinctual reaction, she was startled, backing away quickly, his hand retreating at the jump as well. He looked down upon her confused; was this still something she did not want? But then…

Her breath returned to her as she began to fight herself over what she should do, but that thing inside her just kept yelling, sending shivers down her spine just as it did upon Sesshomaru's first kiss, overwhelming her previous mindset that had been so compelled to accept him.

"No, I… I can't…" she stammered, her eyes frantically attempting to avoid his own, but she could not escape, her heart rate escalating dangerously. It felt like her chest was trapped in a vice – as if a hand were tightening its grip on her heart and lungs with increasing force, shooting pain throughout her entire body.

Just as she tried to turn and leave in a hurry, Sesshomaru placed the same hand on her left cheek, gently, barely even touching her skin with his fingers.

She stopped instantly at his touch, the instinct to leave gone silent in the bat of an eye.

His hand lightly brought her face back into his direction. She kept her eyes down, her breath still slightly heavy, but he continued to stare down at her with the same longing in his eyes.

His fingers cascaded across her cheek, brushing through her hair with a touch of grace, causing her to meet eyes with him as a shiver ran down her spine; not out of fear, but of exhilaration.

His hand slid back down along her cheekbone where his index gently tipped her chin up, holding it there to keep her from turning her eyes from his. The sapphires began to quiver as she stared into his gleaming golden rods, unaware of her own anticipation. She could sense her breath fading and her heart racing once again…

"Your mind says no… yet your eyes speak differently,"

It felt as though her heart had melted, the shock running through her was so strong. His eyes instantly became beautiful once again.

Sesshomaru slightly cocked his head as he lowered it towards her, hesitating a moment, making one last check, before joining their lips together.

They held firm, a solid embrace as Lenezma's senses faded, her eyes closing softly with the gradual acceptance.

Their lips parted only slightly, their eyes sliding open halfway to gaze into the other's. They breathed faintly, staring deep into the other's souls before both closed in again, their mouths embracing yet again, and before long Lenezma was responding to his kisses with a fervor that imploded from deep within her chest.

A wave of exhilaration passed through Lenezma, her heart pounding with excitement and passion, a sensation she never thought possible.

Her heart had been freed: it was finally allowed to wallow in bliss, to respond to the one it had grown so fond of…

Sesshomaru's hand slid back along her cheekbone, running his claws through her soft hair once more as he tenderly held her there.

Lenezma could feel her body taking over, a small hunger forming in her chest. Her hands slowly rose to find Sesshomaru's kimono, gripping it for a moment before sliding up his chest smoothly just as she felt his other hand slide around her thin waist.

Her arms continued northward, sliding beneath his silky hair to wrap around his neck, their fervent kisses growing, building into a wild dance of lips and tongues as their arms held each other tightly in their grasps, preventing the other from bailing out if it should occur.

They stood in that very spot as their lips continued to join in a seemingly endless short period of their lives, both of them holding each other together as they continued passionately, the beautiful fire dancing remarkably in the background.

After several long moments of pure zeal, both slowly backed their heads away, but remained locked in each other's arms; they gazed into each other's eyes, both filled with the look of completeness…

She slowly slipped her arms down under his own and wrapped them around his body like he held her, rubbing her face fondly into his chest. He hugged her even tighter as he rest his head on the top of hers, one hand still tangled in her hair, practically petting her as his claws stroked through her locks gently.

It was strange… after all this time of rejecting him, now that she was with him like this, she felt whole…

"Come… It's late…" he whispered softly before slowly parting to meet eyes once again. Lenezma nodded in agreement, overcome by the strangest feeling as they slipped out of each other's arms slowly. It was as if backing out of his arms diminished the ardor she'd finally obtained, leaving her hopeless, empty like before. Only this time, the solitude hurt…

Lenezma ignored it, knowing it wasn't true; Sesshomaru waited too long for this to just suddenly stop. She'd be back in his embrace… she just knew it…

She knelt down and picked up Issen, walking towards the door with Sesshomaru right behind her, keeping their shoulders close the entire time, Lenezma in the lead as they walked the halls in silence.

She especially liked the trip up the stairs; never before had Len been treated with such tenderness as his hand rested ever softly against her back, slipping around her waist when they reached the top. Just the feeling it gave her, having his arm wrapped around her like that made her sigh contently.

"Goodnight, Lenezma," Sesshomaru whispered after walking her to her room.

Len smiled, "Goodnight, Sesshomaru,"

Both reached and joined lips one last time for the evening, holding each other there with just their lips for a good long moment or two before separating.

Lenezma entered her room and slid the door shut softly behind her, collapsing on the bed in a whirl, fighting back her urge to giggle uncontrollably.

She felt so lightheaded as she lay there, the night's events constantly appearing in her head, filling her heart with an insatiable delight, joy that left her floating on a cloud.

She lay there, replaying everything in her mind as she slowly dozed off, all the awkward attempts at a conversation, the way her screaming instincts were instantly silenced by his touch - a touch that felt like all the others, and yet bore the power to calm her where all the others could not - and the way his powerful arms brought her in close, her body fitting against his perfectly... So content was her mind and her dreams that she wasn't even aware that she'd slipped off into blissful sleep, a large grin on her face.

As for Sesshomaru, he stared out the balcony at the crescent moon, sitting calmly, not quite as merrily as Lenezma.

He almost couldn't believe she finally gave in, he felt so sure she'd run out on him like before…

Back then, on that long ago night in the fire room, he never even considered the possibility of feeling as he did.

As with that time in the field, he just wanted a taste, something to make the painful hunger within him disappear. He felt the worst case scenario would involve Lenezma falling for _him_, but things turned out so much differently than he'd anticipated.

Just as he feared, the taste he received only left him desiring more. And to make matters worse, she rejected him.

He'd been left to fight off that growing hunger, a craving he'd never dealt with before. And the events that took place that night in the fire-room didn't help his situation.

He understood that she wasn't ready; the relationship between two demons could be quite exhausting. But that did not matter, he was willing to wait… and then she reverted back to her human form.

When he found her blood after she was attacked, the hunger that he bore for her deepened his rage. And when he found her with those humans… with that one certain man… Just standing to the side, watching Lenezma say farewell to him caused the emotion to flicker; when she hugged him; when the man actually tried to warn _him_ not to touch her… Psht, foolish human, all that threat did was deepen the desire to _kill_. But he had to think of Lenezma – what would she have done had he killed them?

Sesshomaru grimaced as he thought back, angry at himself for actually caring what another thought.

He grabbed at his kimono, feeling the spark in his chest as it reminded him of just how powerfully he longed for Lenezma back when this sensation was at its prime. Hell, it was strong enough to bring Sesshomaru to kiss Lenezma as a _human_… but even so, the taste of her lips was the same as that of her demon form, and only proved to him that neither her form nor heritage mattered… he still craved for her acceptance.

The memories of listening to her and Rin returned to him, causing a different spark in his chest, of ache.

She said she wanted to leave someday, to experience a journey of her own… that she didn't want to remain here with them. But it's been so long since she admitted this – did she still feel the same? Even after that embrace they shared?

Sesshomaru shook his head, ridding himself of these thoughts. Thoughts for another day.

He stood, no longer interested in reminiscing, no matter how pleasurable the memories were. All he knew now was that his patience had paid off: he had finally managed to woo Lenezma into submission… and that's all that mattered.

It would be a long road ahead, her concede henceforth changing nearly everything.

* * *

It happened! It finally freaking happened! About time, right? *sigh*  
There were too many good lines in this one to list... read the next chapter for more good ones...


	18. Chapter 18

**Eighteen**

Morning came swiftly to the Western Plains, it seemed, and everything fell into the same old routine: Sesshomaru was out on patrol, Kikka and Rin were out collecting herbs with Jaken, Ah-Un accompanying them due to the distance they were going, and Lenezma was back in her little garden, pulling weeds and watering the flowers.

Upon her face was a smile that refused to fade away, responding to the constant flutter of butterflies in her chest. The memories just wouldn't stop reappearing, still able to feel his body in her mind…

_Sesshomaru…_ She had accepted his warmth, kissing him back; she wrapped her arms around him just as tightly as he held her.

She wanted to see him again, even if just to look upon him; she wanted to be held like that once more, listening to his powerful heart beat…

By the time Sesshomaru returned from his daily routine, the midgets having just returned as well, the sun was just about to touch the horizon.

When the girls saw him, they immediately ran toward him with handfuls of flowers that they'd picked, both offering their bouquets to him with cheery smiles.

"Aren't they pretty?" both asked simultaneously, enhancing the idea that they were essentially twins. "Can we put them in your room again?"

"Do as you will," he replied monotonously, expressing no real emotion and yet still managing to incite excitement from them.

He watched as they ran towards the hallway, ignoring Jaken's ramblings when Lenezma suddenly came around the nearest corner, also heading for the bedroom hallway.

His eyes fell upon her gently, an undeniable heat coursing through his chest as her radiant sapphires returned the gaze.

Though she blinked innocently, there was a sly glint in her eyes that only Sesshomaru caught, Jaken's height preventing him from seeing it for what it was.

With a casual, quick wave of the hand, she turned away, slinking down the bedroom hallway callously…

His eyes narrowed after her.

"Hmph! What was that all about?" Jaken muttered curiously, finding her behavior to be quite odd. "That girl is a strange one! Every time you think she's normal again, she starts acting weird! I guess that's what you get with her kind…" he sighed, referring both to her heritage as well as her gender.

Sesshomaru's narrowed gaze dropped to the imp for a second before looking back again, watching Len's door shut behind her.

To her amazement, Sesshomaru did not pursue her immediately, but quickly realized he was merely waiting until the others were asleep and unable to intrude or bother them.

However, as things turned out, he did not have to wait as long.

After the four regulars had eaten dinner, Lenezma stuck around to clean up while the girls played a game of Issen at the table.

"Lenezma," Jaken approached mildly, "I meant to ask you earlier: do you know where I might find some pear trees?"

"Pears? Sure, why?"

"You wouldn't happen to know if they were still in blossom, would you?"

Her face cringed with doubt; "At this time of the year, I'm not sure. They should be getting ready to bear fruit at this point,"

The imp sighed rather dramatically, dropping his head; "I was afraid of that…"

"Why? What do you need them for?"

"Well, it seems Rin is coming down with another cough – pear blossoms work wonders on the throat."

"Really? Hmm… Tell you what! You finish this up for me and I'll go out and check for you – Deal?"

"What? Right now?"

"Sure! I haven't gone out with Ah-Un lately, this'll be a perfect chance to make it up to him!" she smiled sincerely.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Ah-Un soared out over the darkening trees with ease, Lenezma sitting idly upon his back, enjoying the wind in her hair.

"Such a beautiful night… I'm sorry it took us so long to come out like this again!" she apologized to the two-headed dragon right before petting both manes, getting an enthusiastic 'purr' in return. "I promise we'll do this more often from now on, all right?"

Ah nodded joyously with a loud gurgle.

"All right, we should be coming up on some pear trees now. Go ahead and set down in that clearing up ahead," she instructed them pleasantly, pointing out a tiny opening in the trees, no bigger than two Ah-Uns, just large enough for them to fit through.

Lenezma slipped from their bare back easily, patting Un gently on the neck as she walked ahead, the dragon following her obediently.

They strolled leisurely through the trees, Lenezma gazing up at all the trees they passed, searching for the pears that she'd seen in this area.

She stopped.

"Hmm… Guess we're too late for these ones," she commented lightly as she stared up at a few particular trees. Ah-Un followed her gaze, but cocked their heads in confusion – they looked like regular trees to them, but only because they hadn't produced any fruit yet.

"All right, I think I saw a few more in this direction," she glanced back at her faithful companion with a silly grin.

Tree after tree after tree, with each success there was only disappointment. Just as Len feared, all the pear blossoms had already wilted for the season, most of them beginning to bud fruit.

"Sorry Jaken, I guess you'll have to use something else. At least we tried though, right?" she glanced back cheerily, but her smile quickly died.

Something was wrong.

Though Ah-Un's eyes appeared to be looking her way, she knew it was not at her that they directed such a wicked glare.

Their ears were pinned back, growling low in their throats.

Len went still, concentrating on her surroundings.

Something was behind her, that much was obvious, but what?

Suddenly the scent hit her.

A wall of fire flared just as the creature dove at her, screaming in pain as it collided head on with the shield.

Lenezma turned to watch the shadow recover, landing on his feet with a strange sense of grace before diving in again, this time to have a ball of fire thrown directly into his face, exploding upon impact.

Len dodged to the side quickly as his body rolled towards her, Ah-Un backing up slightly to give him room, simply watching the shadow with angry eyes as it once again rose up to its feet, its tolerance for pain greater than most shadows.

"No!"

Ah-Un roared violently as the shadow suddenly attacked, clinging to the neck and shoulder on Un's side, digging his claws into the dragon's scaly hide, drawing blood.

An explosion went off from beneath the shadow's abdomen, every ounce of flame shooting at the black beast, sending him flying through the air only to be slashed in the back by a fiery claw.

"Stay away from him! _I'm_ your opponent!" she declared viciously, all ten of her fingers radiating with a fiery aura, each ready to tear the monster in half as she stood between it and Ah-Un.

The shadow remained crouched with his belly low to the ground, glancing back and forth between the humanoid and the dragon, both rather pissed…

"Get back here!" Len cried out, the monster suddenly turning tail and running. "Stay here, Ah-Un! I'll be back!" she turned to the dragon quickly, throwing her hand out as she ran, a stream of fire flowing from her fingertips.

Even though she was out of sight, Ah-Un watched the fire land near his feat, instantly creating a ring all around him, flames shooting up into the air and over him… She had created a barrier around him.

She knew not if this was some kind of trick by the shadows – she'd seen their devious ways before, and had even learned that they will travel in groups more often than not. But if this _was_ some trick to lead her away and allow others to attack the wounded, at least they would not be able to reach him, not when they are so vulnerable to the elemental energy of other demons.

Len dodged the trees effortlessly in pursuit of the dreaded shadow, her keen eyes able to keep track of his movements in the surrounding darkness, occasionally able to catch a flicker of his red eyes. _That bastard! He'll pay for attacking Ah-Un like that!_

Suddenly they broke out into a clearing, the shadow making a bee line straight for the next copse of trees, but was once again faced with a wall of fire, stopping him almost instantly before exploding into hazardous flames, causing another scream of pain.

With about an inch to spare, the beast rolled to the side right as Lenezma's red claws swiped past. He lunged right back at her, Len catching his front claws before they could strike, but still being thrown back upon impact, the shadow weighing almost twice as much as she.

As she fell back, she kicked out and threw the shadow off, rolling just in time to prevent a claw to the face, but the shadow was met with a new surprise as a large embodiment of flame burst from Lenezma's chest, a loud roar following.

Maru plowed into the shadow with immense speed, sending them rolling into an intense brawl, biting and clawing at each other savagely. Unfortunately for the shadow, Maru could not be harmed, his claws going right through the flaming beast without a single reaction.

Lenezma, however, was off to the side in a reasonable amount of pain, feeling a horrible sting with each scratch and bite inflicted upon Maru in all the same places upon her own body. It was the price she paid for holding such a powerful beast in her arsenal; she did not bleed, but her nerves and muscles reacted just the same.

Suddenly they were thrown apart, turning instantly to face each other wickedly, Maru's wings arched dangerously upon his back, like the raised hackles on a rabid animal.

Maru shot a fire ball, but the shadow dodged effortlessly and turned to flee once again… or so he thought. But he was not running away – he was running directly at the 'injured' feline.

Maru's roar sounded like a trumpet.

Distracted by the pain, her eyes raised and widened as the beast barreled into her yet again, somehow managing to catch his claws once again as the two were forced into a rolling tussle, struggling to overcome the other.

In an attempt to help his master, Maru charged in and body slammed the shadow, resulting in a terrible mess of all three becoming entangled, still rolling across the ground.

And then it was too late.

Before any of them could realize it, they'd rolled right to the edge of a gorge that none had taken the time to even notice was there… and then they fell.

The three continued to scuffle in the air, Lenezma desperately trying to push away the shadow so that she might be able to save herself somehow.

It was then that Maru broke free, his wings struggling to catch the wind and save himself, breaking into a soar.

With one blast of fire, Lenezma sent the shadow rocketing straight down into the gorge where a very small stream seemed to grow larger and larger by the second. She was now free, but had nothing with which to save herself.

"Maru!" she called out to her creation, the red dragon just now regaining his form and composure. At her call, he turned and dove, aiming straight for her as fast as his wings could carry him…

Her eyes widened fearfully – _He's not going to make it!_

The stream could now be seen for what it was: a tiny, shallow brook, no more than two feet deep with dozens of large rocks protruding from the surface.

The shadow, who had hit the stream a few seconds before, had cried out in immense pain as he landed in a rock-free area, the water consuming him, deteriorating his body just by touching it. The water began instantly cleansing his black body and washing it down stream, diluting it completely until there was nothing left of the ferocious beast.

She would not be so lucky, however, for she was heading straight for two jagged rocks. Even if she did hit water, it would hurt like hell just the same to hit the shallow surface with absolutely no cushion.

_Maru!_

And then a white light flooded her vision, her body suddenly growing light, as if floating… no… she could feel something, someone else… were they carrying her?

Very slowly she was becoming more aware of her surroundings, realizing that her eyes were clamped shut, her hands gripping the figure that bore her weight…

Her eyes parted gradually, finding the light gone, instead seeing the gorge wall zoom by horizontally, slowly raising higher – she could see and hear Maru's wings. He'd caught her!

"Are you all right?"

Len gasped as more of her senses suddenly became aware.

She was not simply riding upon Maru's back. She was resting in Sesshomaru's arms, his golden eyes gazing down upon her gently. She hadn't even realized that her hands were gripping cloth!

"Sesshomaru!" she blinked innocently as all the missing details suddenly filled in within her mind. He had rescued her from the fall, catching her just in time to land upon Maru's back as the dragon swept past, flapping his wings powerfully to rise up out of the gorge with both bodies upon his back.

"Er, I'm fine… Thank you…" her voice faded off faintly, still shocked by his appearance.

He nodded slightly in response; "You need to be more careful. I won't always be there to catch you…"

Her heart skipped a beat as he continued to stare into her eyes, feeling the same intensity that had drawn her in the night before. "Uh, right…"

Fresh wind rustled their hair as Maru broke out of the gorge's hold, rising up just above ground level before swooping over and landing rather abruptly, his wings undoubtedly tired from having carried them upon his back, his current body size not quite fit to carry such weight through the air with ease.

Sesshomaru stepped down from Maru's back gently before setting Lenezma back on her feet gracefully, but his hands did not release her, keeping her close. Her hands also remained on his kimono, pinching it between her fingers as she stared into his eyes, lost to that dreamy gaze.

As soon as his hand pulled her in closer, she knew it was coming, she was finally going to feel his warmth once again…

Sesshomaru pressed his lips against hers sweetly, simply holding them while another hand took hold of her upper arm, embracing her tenderly.

Maru simply sat to the side idly, watching and yet expressionless. He was a part of Lenezma – he could sense her joy as the white demon held her close, he remembered the elation that took place within her heart the night before, but he knew the emotions were not his own, and what his master decided to do with this other demon was none of his business.

Slowly they broke the kiss, allowing them a moment to simply gaze into the other's eyes for a moment, content.

Their arms fell away from each other as the subject was changed, returning to that of Lenezma's battle as if nothing had happened.

"You've improved greatly since you last fought a shadow," Sesshomaru commented, referring to a time that they ran into one while out on simple patrol. She had started off well, but Sesshomaru had to bail her out at the end.

"I had a great teacher," she replied with a smirk.

Suddenly Maru gurgled, catching her attention instantly. "Oh! Ah and Un! I almost forgot, they're injured!"

"They're fine," Sesshomaru replied callously, catching her off guard. "You did well in erecting that barrier – as soon as you left, two shadows came out of hiding, but could not get close."

"What? You were there?"

"I came upon the scene right before you chased the shadow. The others are dead," he explained briefly, not needing to go into detail about his slaying of the annoying pests.

"But they are still hurt! The black blood got into their system! We have to help them!" Len urged him once again, this time running towards the trees. "Come on, you two!" she called behind her back.

Sesshomaru simply watched her go for a moment, sensing Maru's movements as he took a few steps closer. For an instant, the two pairs of golden eyes met, almost finding an understanding in the other, related by a common interest in the feline.

Maru jumped into the air and followed Lenezma through the air, Sesshomaru watching the red dragon for only a second before also going after her, following her back to the injured, two-headed dragon.

At the site, Ah-Un was settled in the grass, still protected by the barrier, Un trying to reach back and lick his wounds, but unable to reach any of them.

Both heads perked as his name was suddenly called, watching excitedly as Lenezma came running back to them unscathed.

They stood quickly, causing Un to wince from his injury for a second, but recovering quickly for Len's sake.

As she approached, she dispelled the barrier and pulled both heads into a loving embrace. "I'm so sorry you got hurt… come on, let me see…" she spoke sweetly, as if speaking to Kikka or Rin after they would get a scratch or bruise.

Un was focused on Len and her touch as she observed his shoulder, Ah glancing up to find Sesshomaru enter the scene, meeting his eyes evenly. And then he gazed up even higher to find a flaming beast swoop down from the air.

To Ah and Sesshomaru's slight amazement, Maru dispersed into a stream of energy, flowing directly back into Lenezma without disturbing her in the least.

Sesshomaru came closer as Lenezma stood tall again; she turned to him uneasily, a sincere concern in her expression as she spoke: "It's just as I thought: the black blood is poisoning their system. Is there a river nearby where we can cleanse the wound?"

His gaze turned westward, and he moved without a word.

Realizing his intentions, Len turned to Ah-Un almost cheerily. "Come on, we'll get you fixed up… this way…" she eased them into a walk, Un's side limping from the wounds, but able to carry on thanks to Lenezma, her smile and gentle touch giving the dragon strength to endure.

In silence, Sesshomaru led them through the dark forest at a gentle pace, giving them room to pass as they came upon the small pond.

Without a second thought, Lenezma stepped into the pond up to her ankles before stopping to pull up her kimono skirt, tucking the edges into her belt to keep it from getting wet. As soon as she finished, she continued pulling Ah-Un in at her side, both flinching at the cold.

"Ooh, it's freezing!" Len shivered as the water rose up to her knees, the dragon growling in displeased agreement.

The pond was not very deep, not even reaching Ah-Un's stomach, but the poor creature had to lower himself in order for Len to help him more effectively.

With kind, comforting words, Lenezma began washing Ah-Un's wounds, pouring the crisp clean water over the black ooze, rinsing it away almost immediately. The two-headed dragon flinched now and again but made no resistance, both heads simply watching her.

Still off to the side, Sesshomaru made no move to help and offered no words, content with simply staring at Lenezma just as the dragon was. Her touch was serene and graceful, smoothing over the dragon's scales lovingly as she would with either of the girls.

Her maternal sense was extraordinary for her age and the simple fact that she had no real children of her own, especially when related to felines.

For some reason or another, cat demons did not usually devote so much time in the raising of their young, both parents hoping that the other would do the job for them, and in turn bringing up the child in an odd, back-and-forth fashion that didn't usually leave them as an emotionally balanced adult, but very independent. At least, from his experience and understanding.

Lenezma, on the other hand, was completely devoted to the "children" of her world, protecting them with her life, staying by their sides in time of need.

Slowly his gaze shifted to that of the dragon, watching their eyes follow Len's every movements, listening to her comforting whispers with great attention, completely infatuated with her.

They had seen it first, perhaps before any of them.

They recognized her kindness and beauty, her strange ability to draw others to her glow, her radiating smile. It was almost as if everyone she got close to could not help but want to be in her presence, to gain her attention and trust, to experience that loving touch for themselves.

Even now, standing there in growing admiration, Sesshomaru could not help but desire her touch once more.

They had only been in mutual affection with one another for a day now, Sesshomaru only able to get a few kisses and a seductive glance out of her thus far. He could not help but want more, to further indulge himself in her burning aura, to feel her passion unfolding, all for him…

Yes, Ah-Un had her now, but only as a mother to her son; Sesshomaru had her in a way that none of the others could match, the one to face the brunt of her severely repressed passion.

"There you go, all better!" she smiled brightly, stroking Un's neck kindly before turning towards the shore, stopping instantly upon noticing Sesshomaru's strong gaze.

She could not even begin to guess what was going through his mind, knowing only of the strange glint in his eyes as he stared straight at her, meeting her eyes rather intensely.

Despite her initial uneasiness, Len was not at all affected, meeting his gaze with a warm, almost coy smile as she led Ah-Un out of the pond.

Both were incredibly wet, but the water just slid right off of the dragon's scales unlike Lenezma's legs which she had to kick furiously before letting her skirt back down.

"How do you feel?" Len turned back to her scaly friend, just barely caressing his shoulder.

The dragon nodded enthusiastically. His wounds were clean and blood free despite the sensitive, pink flesh that showed through, which Len had already promised to patch up once they were home.

"Come," Sesshomaru's voice called out suddenly, both looking up to find him already half turned, "let us return."

Without a word, the two followed him obediently through the dark forest.

Back at the mansion, without even a peep from Lenezma, Sesshomaru offered the spare room for Ah-Un to rest in – just for the night.

It was a room closest to the exit from the hallway, one that had been put aside especially for the dragon over the years to use during the winter since there was no other shelter on the grounds.

Sesshomaru remained nearby as Lenezma settled the dragon on a pile of straw before applying a strange ointment to their scratches, causing a hideous odor to linger for nearly a minute or so. After adding a few, quick band-aids to the worst areas, Len tucked the two-headed beast in for the night, draping one of his blankets across his back.

"There you go… All set for bed! Goodnight you two," she smiled sweetly before planting a quick kiss upon both heads.

They watched her leave with obvious sadness, finding Sesshomaru ready to close the door behind her, ready for some alone time with the feline. Both called to her swiftly with puppy-dog eyes, but Len merely laughed.

"Don't worry! You'll be fine! I'll come check on you again before I go to bed, okay?"

The dragon heads did not wish to wait so long, having thoroughly enjoyed Lenezma's constant attention and concern towards them, but had little choice in the matter. Disheartened, they watched as the friendly feline stepped out into the hall, meeting eyes fondly with Sesshomaru as the dog demon shut the door, finally leaving them alone without any distractions…

Ah-Un gurgled low in their throats as their heads dropped to the straw below, their ears pinned back in sorrow…

"I love those two… they're so cute, aren't they?" Lenezma grinned up at her new companion as he led her back outside.

Though they did not physically interact, the two demons walked awfully close to the other, walking down the stairs and around the corner to the front yard, simply following the perimeter of the manor as they talked lightly.

"They've certainly taken a liking towards you," Sesshomaru replied briefly.

"Yeah, I've noticed that as well; I think they just enjoy the attention. Kikka and Rin don't play with them that much and Jaken only takes them out when he has to run errands somewhere… and if you don't mind me saying so, you don't spend a whole lot of time with them, either. But they were about the only ones I could hang around with after Kikka and I first came here, so it's no wonder they've grown an attachment."

"You seem to treat them as another of your surrogate children," he pointed out lightly just as they were coming upon the bathhouse.

"Well, this _is_ a rather unorthodox family you've accumulated here. The girls are too young and Jaken's certainly not the motherly type, so someone has to be!" she smiled innocently as they rounded the corner of the bathhouse, beginning to climb the hill that followed the walls of Lenezma's room.

But before they could get very far, Sesshomaru stopped and turned towards her with an unusual glint in his eyes.

"Unfortunately, it was not till recently that a suitable mother was discovered…" he took several steps towards her, backing her up against the wall, "… and perhaps more…"

Her chest erupted with dancing butterflies as he cornered her against the wall, one hand slipping around her thin waist, the other brushing against her cheeks with his claws, sending sparks throughout her body, her spine breaking out into a tumultuous shiver upon his sensual touch.

His body closed in even further as he tipped her chin and pressed his lips to hers lusciously, her body reacting almost instantly.

Her hands gripped the sleeves of his kimono as their tongues met once again, hardly hesitating to engage in a slippery war with each other.

Lenezma's heart beat rapidly to the pressure of his kiss, the feel of his fingers coursing through her hair, his second hand gripping her waist tightly, stroking it heavily, rising higher up towards her breasts.

Her hands tightened suddenly as she pushed him back, breaking the kiss despite every desire in her to taste his lips; his eyes gazed in confusion as she breathed heavily, both still keeping a hold on the other, only several inches separating them.

"Sesshomaru, wait!" she spoke hastily, a nervous tremble overcoming her for a moment. "Please, before we go on, I just… uh… I'm still a little uneasy with this. This is still a new experience for me, so, if you could," she hesitated shortly, her voice dropping as her sapphires met his goldenrods kindly, "just be gentle with me… I've never been with a man before…"

He could feel her fingers twitching at his shoulders, a true apprehension dwelling within her.

He sighed placidly before running his fingers through her locks once more, aware of its soothing effect on her. His head nodded gently as he leaned in once more to whisper on her lips, his hot breath causing her body to shake with anticipation, her hold on him growing tighter…

"Very well… I promise… After all…" his nose brushed against hers, causing her to gasp even louder as his sensual touches and seductive whispers hit her hot spots, denied the right to kiss him until he had finished.

His eyes stared deep into hers, her body quaking irresistibly in his arms. "I am your first… just as you are mine…"

With hardly any delay, despite the initial shock of such words, Lenezma embraced him the moment he finished, accepting his tongue instantly as their arms wrapped around each other tightly, one of Len's finding its way behind his neck.

Though Sesshomaru kept his promise, taking it slow and sticking with kisses only, that did not mean that his kiss would be any less passionate. She obviously did not mind this, for she seemed just as enthused as he did while holding the other and shoving their tongues down each other's throats, her claws gripping his shirt tightly, her body smashed against the wall by his own.

At least he knew her limits now, and he would not dare to break through. He would coax her further along the more time they spent with one another, breaking her in slowly to the various experiences that two lovers could share until she would no longer claim such a handicap. He waited for that day eagerly, hardly able to resist the temptation of going all the way with her… She would be his mate, she would officially be _his_…

Twin heads perked with alert as the door opened softly, finding the smile of the beloved feline peering in upon them.

Ah-Un called to her softly, Lenezma waving her hand cutely; "I told you I'd be back!" she replied softly, staying at the entrance, not wanting to wake Jaken next door. "Are you comfy?"

Both heads nodded quickly, still desiring for her to come closer, but she never did.

"Good! Now go back to sleep, you two, and I'll see you in the morning – goodnight!"

Ever carefully, she slid the door shut once more before heading further down the hall where Sesshomaru waited for her. As she approached, the two combined lips once again before he slipped an arm around her backside, walking side-by-side towards her room.

She turned to him with her usual childishness, both hands lightly pinching his kimono top, "Well, this is my stop!"

"Shall we resume tomorrow?" his claws grazed her cheeks faintly.

"… We'll see!" she smirked almost deviously, teasing him with both that smile of hers and the anticipation of continuing their earlier 'discussion.' "Goodnight, Sesshomaru," she whispered one last time before rising up on her tip-toes.

Sesshomaru met her halfway and accepted this last minute passion before letting her slip away from him, putting a very thin wall between them. "Goodnight… Lenezma…"

Lenezma collapsed onto her bed, suppressing her giggling, completely forgetting to change into her night kimono as she fell victim to her euphoria: memories of both last night and that exhilarating moment they had just shared flared throughout her body.

She could still feel his arms wrapped around her, her own desire to embrace him tightly; the sensation of their lips pressed against each other, their tongues dancing wildly.

Her heart fluttered as it remembered his warmth, the affection and genteel behind his touch, her mind at ease with the thought of his tender caress…

* * *

So yeah, I have no freaking clue if pear blossoms are medicinal at all (or if pear trees even grow in Japan)! I just needed some kind of plant and the whole blossom thing seemed to work, so... deal with it. :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Nineteen**

Just as Sesshomaru had promised (both to Len as well as to himself) he continued to take things slowly with her, breaking her in little by little over the next several days, their meetings growing more frequent.

While within the confines of the manor walls, they refrained from embracing the other unless it was for certain that all others had retired for the evening and/or they were located in an area that would not be easily disturbed.

On the other hand, if 'chancing' upon one another while out in the forest, very little would prevent them from going off to find their own little private space.

Once there, she would almost always tease him in some way just to give him initiative if she felt he were taking too long in embracing her. He would always respond in the same way as well:

First, he would back her against a tree or whatever other large object was around if he hadn't already. One hand would gracefully slip around her waist, the other raising to graze her cheeks and slip through her hair before taking a firm hold on her jaw.

The rest is pretty easy to determine.

With each new experience, Sesshomaru proceeded with his plans gradually, his hands always finding the safe spots and slowly increasing the area in which he would grasp her frail frame. He could only assume that it was working, for Lenezma never spoke up as she so often did.

Ultimately, however, he knew that this tactic would not only allow Lenezma the time she needed, but would work to his advantage as well.

As much as he hated to admit any form of emotion, even to himself, he actually feared that this obsession he had with her would not last.

At one point, he had actually hoped that his growing desire would disappear once he'd been allowed to experience her kiss. Though we all know that didn't happen, what was to stop it from actually occurring now? Especially if he'd been allowed to do with her as he pleased right off the bat?

It would be like a child receiving a brand new toy: playing with it nonstop for so long before slowly losing interest and eventually discarding it altogether. But in the real scenario, that toy was a living thing.

Lenezma would no doubt sense his fading interest and would approach him about it, only to be left heart-broken by the cold, cruelness that he usually shared with the world. Her reaction from there would be anyone's guess, ranging anywhere from crying and accepting it, crying and trying to win him back, or crying while trying to physically assault him… or just go straight to the attack and forget the crying…

But whenever he considered this, that same tweaking pain that had once tormented him for so long would come back with a vengeance, as if daring him to even think of something so stupid.

No, he knew he couldn't allow that to happen, not just for her sake but for his own. The reoccurrence of that twisting knot in his chest reminded him of just how greatly he longed for her, of how much he had actually grown attached to her:

Her mind was sharp and her body was incredible; she was clever and strong for such a young age, bearing an unheard of maternal sense. And of course there was that burning aura of hers, pulling you in more and more with every encounter, that smile and those pure sapphire gems there to finalize the deal…

No, he was convinced that he would not abandon her. He had worked too hard to gain her trust, earning her acceptance and being permitted into that defensive shell of hers. And with every moment shared at this slow and steady pace, the more attached he grew.

Lenezma had nothing to fear: even when she let him in, officially mating with him, Sesshomaru would not desert her – he would desire her even more.

"Ah! That tickles!" Len giggled as she struggled against him hastily, trying to push his hand away, but was surprised to find that he would not stop. Instead, she watched with slight hesitation as a devious grin appeared upon his face, a wicked gleam sparkling in his eyes as his hand suddenly went for the same spot.

"Ah! No!" she cried out in a fit of laughter as she struggled to free herself, his hand working its magic on this one, simple spot that drove her insane. "Stop it!" she cried again right before his second hand found the same spot on the other side of her ribcage, causing her to spasm even more.

"Damn it! You'd better stop IT!" she ended with a loud burst of laughter, his fingers managing to hit certain spots all up and down her sides, discovering the art behind this strange phenomena. He'd never understood it or its power, not until now. "Sesshomaru!" she cried out in laughter, tears coming to her eyes as her legs grew weak, dropping her closer to the ground where she would ultimately be at his mercy – and she knew that he did not give it so freely.

With one last demand of freedom, flaming sparks shot out at his hands, giving her just enough time to push him away and make a break for it.

In an instant, Lenezma was running through the trees with Sesshomaru right on her tail.

Of course he could have caught her at any time he wished, but had no desire to spoil the fun. She was still lost to her laughter, and he had not quite decided what to do with her after he'd caught her.

With a quick glance back, she could tell he was thinking about it just by that same grin that foreshadowed his intentions.

For a few days now, it was not unusual to find the stone cold dog demon expressing such emotions, mostly in response to the playful attitude that Len always gave him, teasing and toying with him before he would kiss her… or in the middle of it… or after their embrace had ended… Anytime, really, and Sesshomaru, if amused enough, would raise the corners of his mouth smoothly in response.

The first time he smiled, it completely caught her off guard, hardly expecting such a reaction from him. And why not? She could not remember a single time that Sesshomaru had ever smiled at her – with good _or _malign intentions. It… it really made her happy, knowing that he was that comfortable with her.

"Whoa!" Lenezma slammed on the breaks, throwing her arms up defensively as an entire flock of miniature red birds suddenly erupted from a nearby tree, swirling around her in a vicious storm for disturbing the nest, diving at her in a raging tempest.

Swatting the birds away blindly in self-defense, Lenezma backed away quickly, unable to escape their fury; she heard Sesshomaru's call right as a burst of energy swept past her, depleting half of the winged army in their plights right before the ground gave way beneath her feet.

Her senses flared as she slipped down over the edge of a short drop, a ten foot rocky slope separating the higher grasslands from the plot of fresh green grass below.

Gaining control, Lenezma began to move to land safely… all for naught.

Like so many times before, Lenezma gasped as she found herself resting in Sesshomaru's protective arms, his powerful golden eyes gazing down at her firmly. He had gotten rid of the birds, sheathed his sword, and dove down the slope after her with a few feet to spare.

He had landed about two feet from the bottom, sitting on the rocky slope in a bit of a crouch, Len draped across his lap as well as his arms.

Before he could even say anything, Lenezma smirked playfully: "I thought you weren't going to catch me anymore? That I needed to land on my own feet," she added softly as her left hand wound its way around his shoulder and neck while the other reached across to grab at his shirt.

His right hand, which held up her torso, raised in order to bring her lips closer to his; "Would you rather I let you fall?"

She grinned with anticipation as her grip on him tightened the closer he pulled her in, his own body beginning to lean over hers rather seductively. She shook her head softly, unable to think of anything clever to retort. As such, they allowed their lips to connect and end the useless chatter…

His arm gripped her torso tightly, as her own arms remained wrapped around his neck as they kissed fervently despite their awkward position upon the loose rocks.

Slowly his left hand slipped out from beneath her legs, allowing them to dangle while her torso remained firm upon his lap. Once free, his fingers slid down the length of her thigh, causing a quick shudder to pass through her. His hand swept down and around her buttocks, scaling up her arched back in order to caress it serenely, bringing her body in close while his own upper body leaned farther over her own.

Fingers clenched as gravity suddenly came crashing down upon them, interrupting their tender moment with its pull on the rocky slope in which erosion had weakened the ground they stood on.

In other words, the rocks beneath Sesshomaru's feet gave way under their combined weight, sending them flying down the last two feet with virtually no way of catching themselves – efficiently, anyway.

The kiss had been broken the instant it happened, Sesshomaru too distracted to notice the shifting ground before it was too late. And as they fell, only Lenezma's instincts had time to react before they dropped to the grass below.

Slowly her eyes parted as she realized the fall was over, feeling her lower half hit the ground while her upper half received only the shock of impact. And as her sapphires blinked open, she found she was staring up at the tree tops and that both of her arms were hugging Sesshomaru's neck with great force, holding on to him in her momentary fear.

She was not on her back – she was suspended in the air by Sesshomaru's strong grip around her shoulders; only from her pelvis down did she touch the ground, her legs stretched out in slight tension.

As it turned out, when they fell, Sesshomaru landed on his knees and used his free hand to catch them, preventing him from landing his full weight on top of her.

Gradually, she began to loosen her grip, Sesshomaru's supporting arm giving way to her movements. Her smooth cheek brushed against his as she lowered, her right hand returning to its lower post by simply gripping the collar of his kimono while their eyes met with a quiet strength.

Her breath was still a little heavy after the shock of the fall and did not fade as she gazed into his goldenrods. What was this? This strange power that lingered in his demon eyes as he returned her stare?

She could do nothing but stare in everlasting fascination, compelled to feel the warmth that they radiated, overwhelming her with every passing second. Len fell into his eyes, unable to look away, drawn in by their serenity; her right hand tightened its grip.

Their bodies began to lower once more, a shiver running down her spine as soon she was down, her breath quaking under its pressure, her heart pounding so hard within her chest that she was sure it would break free.

Despite the spell his eyes had placed her under, she could sense his movements: as he lowered her to the ground, his knees slowly flattened, allowing him to lay in the grass beside her in tranquility. His other arm gradually lowered as well, eventually bearing his weight on its lower half. However, he did not remove his right arm from around her shoulders just as she did not unravel her left from around his neck.

Lenezma fought her anxious breaths that wanted so desperately to be released from her chest, the tension within her rising as he lowered himself ever so slowly, taking his sweet time. And still, he did not remove his eyes from hers; he did not force himself upon her in anyway, his torso hardly covering hers at all, but still she was nervous… this would be the first time that Sesshomaru would embrace her while on the ground. They had always been standing, usually with her back to a wall of some sort, but the horizontal-vertical difference meant everything to her.

And though she felt anxious, she was also excited. The longer he stared down at her with those amazing golden eyes, the more she came to feel her heart beat to a new tune… She could feel her affection towards him growing, changing…

She gazed into his eyes nonstop with a new fondness for the great dog demon, feeling it grow with every passing second before he finally leaned into her, teasing her with his hot breath and a brush of the nose as he so often did. His arm shifted to fit into the crook of her neck, fitting in just below her skull, sparing no effort to ensure her comfort, to show to her that he would not act against her wishes… and then, at long last, he closed the gap.

Lenezma's heart soared upon his touch, overwhelmed by his presence as it surrounded her on nearly all sides. And after several moments of innocent serenity, his chest finally came down upon hers, very gently falling upon her breasts.

Sesshomaru overwhelmed her in sweet serenity, his kiss warm and gentle, removing all her fears. Despite her initial uneasiness, his tender touch freed her of such anxiety; this became the same as any of their other moments, Sesshomaru pinning her down with a gentle lust. The longer they spent together, holding each other tightly, the more engrossed they became. To another's eye, they were a pair of divergent demons, locked in ecstasy amidst a pile of scattered red feathers.

Though his upper torso rested over hers, he kept his legs to the side – he would break her in slowly now as much as ever; if he went too fast, she would recoil, and after getting her here to this point, willing, he did not dare risk losing her. Besides, right now, he could not have asked for more.

Her fingers dug in, pulled and twisted in his kimono, her aggression rising in an attempt to match his dominating passion, but he continued to keep her at bay, somehow able to repress her from time to time.

His left hand, which had contented itself with caressing the usual spots along her ribs, slipped away in order to glide up and down her lower arm as it continued to grasp the neck of his kimono.

Len's grip lessened as she felt his claws smooth up the length of her arm, his claws just barely grazing the palm of her hand before sliding back down, caressing her skin as her sleeve fell away – her aggression faded off once again.

His claws drew higher the next time, his thumb gliding its way into the palm of her hand, pressing into its exact center firmly as the other four fingers massaged her knuckles and everything around them. They played at her hand, fondling her fingers, prying them from his shirt.

Their hands lowered to the grass, just off to the side, both sets of fingers engaging in their own blissful entanglement. Their claws and fingers flicked and darted about, dancing ardently in the soft blades of grass, their kisses flowing almost in tune with the movements of their hands.

Ever since he drew her grip away from his shirt, her occasional bursts of energy desisted. Instead, she was as calm and sensual as the waltz, feeling nothing but the passion behind his every move, relishing in its blissful delight.

And then they combined: their fingers slipped in between each other perfectly, taking hold and locking their hands together in sweet serenity…

Very slowly Sesshomaru's head rose away upon a sudden change in Lenezma's behavior, finding her staring up at him with an unusual expression, unable to determine what she could possibly be thinking with such a distant look in her eyes.

"What is it?" his voice fluttered softly as he continued to meet her gaze, still trying to decipher this strange look in her radiant sapphires.

Lenezma continued to stare with a studying gaze, hardly able to figure out her own feelings as she met his goldenrods. But as she lay there, completely surrounded by his entity in such a way, still being gentle so as not to frighten her…

Her heart pounded powerfully within his embrace, slowly revealing itself to her mind; she could feel it, this ever growing sensation that overwhelmed any rational thought.

With a faint sigh, Lenezma smiled before shaking her head softly: "It's nothing."

Very gently, the two kissed once more with a _quiet_ passion, nothing ecstatic or enthused like what they usually shared, but something much deeper and more sentimental flared through their chests as their lips met and parted ever so slowly. Her grip on his hand tightened.

Once again, their eyes fell completely content with simply gazing into the other's, Lenezma's full of enlightened warmth while Sesshomaru's were determined to decipher this emotion she displayed.

Only after several long moments did they finally gain the motivation to stand up once again, Sesshomaru reaching out and actually taking her hands in assistance, bringing her to a full stand where they were once again lost to the other's gaze.

Len watched curiously as Sesshomaru reached out for her, but swept past her face, feeling his fingers play at her hair. When his hand retreated, he held a single red feather that had been caught up in her locks.

She smiled with slight amusement, ready to push such a measly inconvenience to the side, but Sesshomaru did not seem to share the same ideas, his eyes stuck on the tiny feather, gazing at it unnaturally…

"Sesshomaru?"

His gaze broke away and the feather floated to the ground. "It's nothing…" he replied faintly, Lenezma not quite sure she could believe him after such an intense stare, but gave in easily.

Settled, the two finally managed to turn to head back home, Sesshomaru's hands falling away from hers as he started off…

He glanced down at her quickly, confused by her sudden actions as she slipped her hand back around his. As he met her eyes, finding a fond smile upon her tantalizing lips, he found he could not resist the temptation of gripping her hand tightly.

Their fingers intertwined delicately as they started to walk, their eyes stuck on one another for several seconds before finally staring ahead… Lenezma leaned into him fondly, their hands clasped together as they walked silently through the shaded forest.

It was hard for Lenezma to fathom the immense feelings that swirled about her heart, her body as light as a feather so long as she was in his presence. To feel his powerful grip and breathe in his masculine scent, she was content; to gaze into his eyes and be allowed to touch him without an ounce of fear, it felt like she couldn't have asked for more.

He changed her world in so many ways: "saving" her from the brothel life, teaching her how to be a real demon, and finally showing her what it was like to be a woman in a man's embrace – not just any embrace, but _his_.

It felt like the world might be finally sending some good luck her way… Until something else appeared; a darker thought came creeping into her joyous world like a black snake, ready to bite and spread its venom.

"Sesshomaru…?"

His eyes flashed down for a moment, sensing something uneasy about her, feeling her grip tighten once again. "Hmm?"

"This… us, I mean… can it really work out?" her voice wavered, hearing Jaken's haunting voice telling her she is inferior through blood, that canines and felines were not meant to be with each other. "Can the two of us really…?"

Sesshomaru stopped.

Len watched in silent astonishment as he faced her head on, staring into her eyes solidly. He leaned forward, using his free hand to raise her chin like before, his eyes bearing down on her powerfully. "Of course," he replied sweetly. He ran his claws through her hair and held her head in place as he reached down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. He looked into her eyes once again: "You are mine…" he whispered lightly, lustfully on her lips before they embraced deeply like before.

Lenezma smiled softly when he spoke, her heart swelling… _How ironic… If those wolves were still around, I could actually tell them "Yes I am"…_

This moment did not last, of course, for they were close to the great walls of the manor and could already hear Jaken's obnoxious cries. When they broke the kiss, Lenezma slipped away from him, releasing his hand and backing away several feet with a smile.

The white demon did not question her actions, understanding her reasoning before leading her back to the mansion.

In all honesty, he couldn't believe that she had been the one to separate like that, assuming he would have to be the one to perform the semi-cruel act after the time they had just shared. And yet here she was, seemingly content with the idea of keeping this relationship of theirs hidden from the others. What her exact reasoning for it could be was another question.

Lenezma, as Sesshomaru considered, did in fact wish to keep their bond a secret from the others, particularly Jaken who would freak out on the spot. The girls would probably be excited by the concept, Rin more than Kikka, but Len's true intentions might be short-lived if they were to know.

The real reason behind her action was in fact because of Sesshomaru: she did not wish to ruin him or his reputation.

The great demon lord was cruel and powerful, a hater of all half-breeds, and yet here he was, taking one into his arms warmly almost every day. She didn't want the news to get out, to stay between just the two of them as long as possible, to protect him in what little ways she could.

And just as intended, when the two demons returned to the yard at separate times and with significant distance between them, the façade remained true.

That night, after a "family" night in the fire room, everyone but Sesshomaru was enjoying several rounds of Issen – the white demon sat to the side with eyes closed most of the time…

But unlike usual, where Lenezma would usually wait for everyone to retire and allow her a moment alone with Sesshomaru, she was the first to head to bed.

"Goodnight, Leny!" the girls called before setting up a three-player game.

Sesshomaru watched with one, half-open eye as she closed the door behind her.

Over half an hour had passed since Lenezma returned to her room, changed and ready for bed, but not quite willing.

She knew he could not follow her so hastily for fear of raising suspicion, but it was getting late and she really was tired. She heard the girls go to bed several minutes ago, and Jaken surely wouldn't stay up much longer either… Unless… Jaken was still down there, holding Sesshomaru up!

Len sighed as she finally laid down on the bed, curling up on her side with quiet defeat. She couldn't win them all, she knew, but had still hoped for one last kiss before bed. She had noticed that she slept better when given such a simple gift.

Unbeknownst to her, however, was the white demon's presence in her open window, his golden eyes staring intently.

Sure enough, Jaken had indeed held the white lord up in the fire room, rambling on about minor nuisances and his concerns over Lenezma as usual, which Sesshomaru merely ignored with sustained silence, fighting the inner desire to shut the imp up.

Len's eyes blinked open swiftly, flipping over after hearing a noise at the window… but nothing was there. With a quiet pout, she settled back down and curled up once more, drifting off back into slumber… And in the depths of sleep, she was back in the forest, lying alone on her back with red feathers falling around her like snow. And though she was alone, a warm smile remained upon her face as she gazed at the everlasting feathers in their descent… A loud whistle echoed all around her before suddenly Sesshomaru was there at her side once again, a beautiful bird's song filling her ears as well as her heart…

Sesshomaru pried the balcony doors open and slipped in easily but left the door wide as he strode purposefully toward his closet. There he searched out a particular garment, one that he had seen only once in the past thirty years or so.

It was a simple, green and blue sash that was folded with great care, kept secure between two large comforters that hadn't seen the light of day in probably forty years.

Gently he retrieved the sash, opening it at the first fold where a most peculiar object sat just as perfect as the day he found it… odd, considering it should have shriveled up months ago.

He took it into his claws delicately, staring at it just as he'd done back then, captivated by its majesty. And as he stared at it now, a different image appeared before him: a tiny red feather.

Caught up in his thoughts, Sesshomaru stashed it away again before wandering aimlessly about his room for a moment, considering the reflections he'd made. Could it really be?

Memories started flashing through his mind, some so brief he was barely able to catch them; he remembered his mother, his parents, his father… And suddenly a most peculiar memory of his father popped out at him, something he had almost forgotten, but now that it had come to him, Sesshomaru had to agree.

_I should do something for her…_

Sesshomaru stared off in thought, considering his options as he turned to find Ah-Un out-and-about, strolling the yard for a midnight snack, sniffing at some loose earth…

* * *

*drool* ... A short chapter but oh so nice... Wow, I can't believe there's only six chapters left...


	20. Chapter 20

**Twenty**

Lenezma sat at the trunk of a tree in a small clearing, taking a break from her morning rounds, her blue kimono with chrysanthemums shimmering in the sunlight.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru," she greeted, hearing him walk up from behind her, not even trying to sneak.

She rose to her feet as he walked out into the clearing next to her, stretching her arms and back out as he stopped in front of her, his armor and swords glinting in the sunlight.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure?" she smiled, trying not to sound eager for his touch.

"Come, I have something to show you," he spoke, holding out his hand for her.

Len stared blankly at his hand a moment. This was different; with the exception of yesterday, he never held out his hand for her, it was always 'Come' and he'd run off, expecting her to follow. But now he actually held his hand out for her… to take.

Len took his hand with an uneasy smile, slightly tense. He gave her a slight tug, letting her know they were going to run… and off they went.

He pulled her along as they dashed through the forest, surprisingly going slow enough for her in her long kimono. Just where was he taking her? He'd never brought them this far southeast.

He finally came to a stop when they saw a clearing ahead. His hand slipped away from hers as he walked forward and stepped out.

But when Lenezma followed, it was nothing like what she might have expected. The area was a complete waste! There was nothing but dry, dead earth and the remains of old, decaying trees. Not even weeds grew in this desolate place.

"What is this?" she asked, looking about; the dead earth stretching pretty far.

"Centuries ago, my father and another demon fought here. They destroyed this land during their battle, but most of it was able to grow back. Everything here that is dead is from where the deceased demon's body fell and decayed,"

Lenezma knelt down and put her hands to the earth, feeling it, searching… there was no life. There was no life in this dirt, not even insects.

"What kind of demon could do this?"

"It was a dark demon; he battled my father for the lands, but he overcame the challenge,"

Lenezma stood up again, dusting her knees off, "So, why did you bring me out here, exactly?"

"I thought perhaps you could save this land. You said you loved to garden; well, here's your chance,"

Len glanced about once more. "But I don't know if this land is even salvageable…"

"But you will still try?"

After a moment, still considering, she nodded slowly: "Yes… I'll try my best to save this land,"

Sesshomaru nodded once; "Take as long as you wish; if you should succeed, it shall be your land – your garden,"

Len turned and faced him with a half smile and nodded her head, "Thank you, Sesshomaru, this means a lot to me." She walked over and placed a single hand on his arm, glad to no longer be afraid to touch him so casually. Before, he wouldn't have let her come close. "But I'm not going to start today…"

"Good, I have something else planned for you."

Lenezma eyed him carefully as he led them back into the comforting shade of the trees.

He led her out into a section of the forest that wasn't thick with trees, but wasn't exactly a clearing either. Tens of ideas and possibilities came to mind, but as for what Sesshomaru had in mind was anyone's guess.

"So what exactly are we going to do?"

"We're going to do battle,"

"Excuse me?"

"I want you to use every ounce of strength in you to knock me to the ground at least three times."

"The pinning exercise?"

"Yes, except _you _have to pin me all three times,"

"All right, but go easy on me – I'm not exactly wearing the greatest clothes for this!"

Sesshomaru made no reply.

"Oh, come on! Just this once!" she chuckled merrily, reading the expression on his face as she had recently been able to do. It almost seemed like ever since she had accepted him that the stone cold faces he so often showed now bore life and emotion, as if granted the gift to read into his true expressions.

Sesshomaru grumbled as he ordered her to begin.

"All right! Fine!" she sighed, standing in a most relaxed position before suddenly lunging at him, slashing at Sesshomaru, but he managed to jump straight into the air to avoid her claws.

"Put more feeling into it!" he called down to her as soon as he landed on a branch. He could tell she wasn't putting much effort into this; her usual slash waves did not fly.

_More feeling, huh?_ She jumped up after him, releasing Maru. She came up just in front of him, while Maru came around to his back. But just as she struck again, Sesshomaru jumped back into the air and performed a back flip over Maru. Maru flared his body, flames jumping at Sesshomaru, licking at his hands.

He hit the ground and half-smiled up at Len having felt the wind from her slash waves just above his head as he dropped to the ground, the feline having slipped up into the tree branches while he wasn't looking.

She dove to the ground head first, Maru flying around to the side. She threw out two fire balls that came down at different angles, but Sesshomaru jumped through an empty space when it became available. Lenezma landed on her hands then thrust herself up into the air just enough to flip and land on her feet to throw more balls at him.

Sesshomaru dodged the next few balls and even managed to escape Maru's assault safely.

"Maru!" she called, having him return. She glared at Sesshomaru, who only stared back, a sparkle in his eye. She couldn't believe this: she had all three pins left and hadn't even managed to land a single attack, and there was Sesshomaru, laughing at her behind a blank face, amused by her suffering.

"You're going to have to work harder – remember, I'm going easy on you."

"Yeah, but this is _you_ we're talking about!" Len called back as she ran through her arsenal of attacks.

Sesshomaru thought a moment… "If it helps, imagine I'm that water demon you fought,"

Anger immediately swelled in Lenezma's chest as that horrible creature came back to her. "Believe me Sesshomaru, you _don't_ want me to imagine that! I can fight you just as well as yourself!"

"Just do it," he ordered just before starting his attack. He rushed past her with such speed she could only try to keep her ground as a shock wave hit her. She turned just in time to see Sesshomaru's claws heading straight for her face.

She dropped to the ground as he passed then jumped up to her feet again and swung her fist at him. But his fist caught hers, his other hand catching her wrist before it could strike him too. While she was concentrating on breaking free of him, her entire thought process was broken when Sesshomaru moved in on her and pressed his lips firmly upon hers, just enough to tempt her, before pushing her away and jumping back at the same time.

She landed on her feet and couldn't help but laugh skeptically: "What was that?"

Sesshomaru said nothing, but smirked slyly.

Lenezma couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. Here she was, fighting him as part of her training, while he was stealing kisses! This was something to be taken seriously! But surprisingly, Len found herself more interested in that cunning grin of his.

She rolled to the side again as he rushed her once more with claws ready to strike; she threw some larger flaming spheres at him as soon as she could, but Sesshomaru only managed to jump into the air, avoiding the balls.

Upon falling, he fell just above Len. She watched as he pulled his arm back, venomous claws ready to strike.

That's when it happened; instead of seeing Sesshomaru, she actually _saw_ the water demon falling upon her, the claws were instead the rat. An unusual, almost fearful instinct surrounded her, reacting faster than ever as she threw up a wall of fire.

The wall hit Sesshomaru and began pushing him back. She watched as the image of the black robed demon disappeared, Sesshomaru the victim once again. She regained her thoughts: _Now!_

She took control over the wall and made it expand much larger, curving it around his body, entrapping him in her large ball of fire. Taking further control, she forced the ball to come back down to the ground, slamming Sesshomaru into the earth, keeping the fire cage on him.

Sesshomaru pushed himself up and smiled at her from inside the cage, "That's one. Two to go. Do realize, it gets harder each time."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said as she released the flames. She watched as he stood up calmly and grabbed the hilt of one of his swords.

Already Lenezma was stunned – he had never drawn his swords on her during practice, seeing him use them only on occasion while out on patrol.

He pulled the sword out and let it rest at his side. "Ready?" he asked callously.

With a nervous gulp, Len nodded her head, her eyes fixed on the blade. She knew she'd have to take extra care – Sesshomaru had never used a blade against her, always fighting hand-to-hand combat. This would be some well earned practice for her…

For his first move on Round 2, he rushed Len. He ran up and swung his sword, the blade just barely missing her scalp as she ducked. She was sure a few small hairs would trickle down past her face, but none came.

She positioned herself perfectly and swung her leg around, tripping Sesshomaru, which would technically have been number two, but Sesshomaru pulled off what Lenezma had done earlier, flipping back up enough to land on his hands and push himself up onto his feet.

They both rose at the same time while Sesshomaru rushed her yet again, slamming his forearm into her stomach. Her breath escaped upon impact, followed by another gasp of pain as he rammed her into a tree. As soon as she hit, he grabbed her hands and held them against the tree above her head, the hilt digging into her left wrist as he kept hold of it.

She struggled to free her arms when she felt Sesshomaru's body close in on her once again. She opened her eyes just in time to see Sesshomaru press his lips against hers. Lenezma twisted and struggled but couldn't escape his grip, and before long, she couldn't help but give in to his kiss.

His eyes glanced up briefly at a sudden reaction from his sword, feeling a quiet pulse as he kissed her; _Tenseiga?_

Keeping their lips locked, a soft chuckle escaped her throat.

"You do know you're making this very difficult," she spoke as she broke free of his kiss.

Sesshomaru only smiled. He was ready to kiss her again when she stopped him, "Nuh-uh-uh!" she said and he stared into her eyes, waiting to hear what was wrong. "I'd suggest you not make another advance…"

Sesshomaru looked away from her large grin and looked down to see a fire ball floating just between his legs, not far from the one place that was probably the most sensitive on him anywhere. It was during the time she was still struggling with him that she slipped the ball out of her hand. He looked back up at Len, a small smirk of his own.

She'd thought about kneeing him but knew his armor would prevent her from doing any harm. Besides, that might be a little _too_ personal of an attack…

Sesshomaru, though reluctant, let go of Lenezma and backed away from her. She brought her arms down and massaged her wrists; the ball of fire absorbing back into her skin. She looked back up at Sesshomaru, "All right now, no more kisses! Understand?" Sesshomaru only continued to smile deviously at her.

Just as Sesshomaru raised his sword, he heard the waver of flames behind him. He turned just in time to dodge a ball of fire, but couldn't avoid the second ball, which hit him square in the back. He rolled as he hit the ground to land on his feet and jumped towards Lenezma. She dove to the side, but Sesshomaru managed to swing his sword out just far enough to strike her on the arm.

"Ah!" she gasped as the blade swept past her; Len grabbed the point of impact out of pure instinct, but found no scratch mark – not even a tear in her sleeve. What? But… she was sure it had hit! Hadn't she felt it?

To Lenezma's discredit, she did not know the difference between Sesshomaru's swords, never realizing that he always drew the same one while in battle and that this was not it. As noted earlier, it was the Tenseiga that he now wielded, explaining the lack of a wound.

She looked up just in time to see Sesshomaru jump into the air – his sword now sheathed – and pull out his venomous whip. She threw up a wall of fire just in time, the whip and wall fighting for dominance, Sesshomaru suspended in air throughout the battle.

Sesshomaru watched as the whip continued to fight, but was distracted when about six balls of fire began popping up around him. By the time he realized what she was doing, it was too late. All six balls exploded, covering Sesshomaru in flames, making the whip dissipate in the air. Lenezma waited where she stood, the wall gone, watching for Sesshomaru amidst the billowing smoke. Just then, he came bursting through the flames, sword drawn again, dropping down on her.

And again she saw it: the sword transformed into the scythe that the foul water demon had carried.

Losing control of her body for a short moment, she thrust her arm up and a long string of fire came out and began encircling him, trapping his arms and weapon inside the flaming whip. Her hand gripped the flames, as a way to stop it from growing longer and longer, and kept her opponent floating in the air. Sesshomaru became her prey as soon as she was able to think clearly.

_It was her body that had reacted to the moment..._ Sesshomaru thought when he saw the shocked look on Len's face. _She didn't mean to do it, it just happened... Good, having that ability will surely aid her in the future._

Lenezma suddenly grinned wickedly as she gripped the whip with her other hand, yanking it down, forcing Sesshomaru, trapped in the whip, to slam into the ground once again.

The whip sucked back into her body and she stood there, cocky attitude apparent as she waited for him to stand up.

He got to his feet and sheathed his sword again. "Two." Len watched as he gripped the other sword hilt, "But beware. This time, I'm not holding anything back."

She slightly crouched, getting prepared for anything as her nerves shook. "All right, just remember you said to go easy on me!"

"You've pinned me twice, haven't you?"

Sword drawn, Sesshomaru rushed her. Lenezma jumped into the air just in time, her toe just above the blade when he slashed.

"Huh?" She stared at the sword all the way up until she landed on a branch. _That sword… It smells of death… Why would Sesshomaru have such a sword? I know he's not exactly Good incarnate, but he's not the embodiment of evil either… _

She thrust her fingers at him, flaming shards being thrown at him with amazing speed. He jumped to the side and then jumped up at her, almost wishing he hadn't when he looked up at her… almost…

Using her flames, she had created a bow. She formed an arrow and then set it in place, and shot the arrow at him.

Using all the will power he had, he turned to the side just in time for the arrow to _sing_ past, but it did manage to ricochet off his armor. As soon as he was up to her branch, he came down on her with the sword, but Lenezma jumped off, heading for the ground, the blade slicing the branch in half like parchment.

As soon as she landed, she pulled the bow out again and shot him once more. She knew he'd be unable to dodge this one, but instead of dodging, he swung his sword at it, dispersing the flames.

Lenezma gasped in surprise and slight anger as she clenched her teeth.

She gained control of the broken flames and pulled them back together, creating a fiery snake from the old arrow and having it come back around at Sesshomaru once again.

He saw it just in time as he hit the ground himself. He held up the sword, blade straight up, and watched as the snake hit the blade, slicing it in half, the flames spreading far to the sides.

Lenezma bit her lip and grabbed at her chest, feeling a sharp pain as her body swayed for a moment. _Ugh! I forgot that I can feel their pain…! _

She recovered quickly though, for the snake was a spur of the moment, not one of her true creations like Maru or Fawn, their 'injuries' much more detrimental to her health. Regaining control of the flames once again, she wound them around Sesshomaru's body, binding him just as before with the whip.

Sesshomaru struggled a little, and then began putting as much pressure onto the band as possible. And soon enough, the band exploded as he freed his arms and body, the flames dying in the air.

And as soon as he was free, he turned to Lenezma, ready to strike her down with the sword.

For all of you out there who might be thinking "Wait a minute… Why would he actually be trying to kill Lenezma?" Well, just remember that he _does_ have the Tensaiga with him, so he could technically revive her, but he had no intentions of allowing the Tokijin to actually harm her – he would stop the blade's descent before any serious harm could be done.

But to his surprise, she brought up her own sword made of pure fire, just like all the other weapons she had suddenly been able to procure. It was large, almost similar to the Tetsaiga in terms of shape. And most surprisingly, it held off the Tokijin.

They stood there, blades fighting each other, both giving it their all to defeat the other. Well… maybe not Sesshomaru's, but he did put _some_ effort into it. Sesshomaru's resolve to keep from injuring her was the main reason the Tokijin wasn't wounding her as severely as it would against, oh, say Inuyasha – he wasn't even allowing it's deadly aura to pulse.

Lenezma fought the sword, sensing its strength as it attacked her own. She could feel her blade weakening… She began pouring more of her energy into it; she could feel the flames increasing with every dose of power she gave it.

Sesshomaru himself was amazed at how well she was holding him off. He, too, could feel the sword's power increasing, especially when it started giving off immense heat, only growing hotter the more energy she fed it.

But while he could feel the sword's strength growing to continue to hold him off, he could sense Lenezma's own strength quickly draining.

Lenezma knew she couldn't keep this up and had to do something. So, using her last bit of strength, she began pushing with the sword against Sesshomaru, and with one final urge, she pushed him off of her blade.

He took a few steps back to maintain balance and watched, blade still ready, as sweat rolled down Lenezma's face, breathing heavily from exhaustion, her legs wobbling under her weight.

Sesshomaru calmly stood tall, putting the sword away as he took a step towards her. "That'll be enough for today, let's go…"

"No! I'm not quitting until you've hit the dirt one more time!" she called, her voice starting to become muffled, fatigue clearly overwhelming her. She tried to take a step but dropped to her hands and knees.

"Lenezma," he whispered as he approached her. He kneeled down before her, listening to her breathing as it wouldn't calm.

Suddenly, Lenezma made a sort of battle cry as she pushed off the ground and lunged at Sesshomaru, catching him off guard and forcing his back to the ground.

He looked up at her as she sat there, her arms and hands shaking on his stomach as she tried to keep herself up, not getting much support from her legs. He couldn't help but smile when she started laughing between her gasps of air.

"Three…" she laughed just before her arms collapsed and she toppled over right there on his armor, her eye barely missing one of the spikes at his chest.

Sesshomaru couldn't help but smirk as he pushed her up and sat up himself. He set her back on her knees while he got to his own, her breathing still harsh.

"Well… I got you three times…" she managed to say.

"Yes you did… Come on, let's go home…"

He stood up and watched as she tried to get to her feet as well. He knew she wouldn't, but let her try anyway. He had learned that if he tried to help, she'd yell at him and then torture herself to walk back without his help. But if he waited silently, she would give in.

She slowly but surely staggered up and took a few shaky steps, but quickly fell against Sesshomaru, grabbing his arm at the same time he reached for her, preventing her from falling.

She looked up at him with a silly grin, "A little help please…"

He knelt down until her waist was at his shoulder, grabbed her legs then stood up.

"No!" she laughed as he lifted her up, her top half hanging over his shoulder. He started walking off, enjoying the sound of her laughter as she begged him to stop. "Don't carry me like this the whole way! Come on! Sesshomaru!"

He smirked.

Carefully, he pulled her down from his shoulder and repositioned her so that his right arm was under her legs and his left was behind her shoulders, carrying her home in the same manner he always did, except this time, she was backward, preventing her face from snuggling into his fluffy.

She ignored the hilt that was digging into her back, and leaned against him, resting. Her entire body felt empty. She felt like she couldn't form another fireball lest her life depended on it.

They were on their way home when Lenezma decided to ask: "Hey Sesshomaru… What's with that sword?"

"Which one?"

"The second one you used…" she muttered, not knowing its name. "Why do I sense death coming from it?"

"It is the sword's nature. The monster it was forged from desired nothing but to kill – the sword even destroyed the smith who created it for me."

Len glanced up curiously, but Sesshomaru did not look back. "And yet you still took it?"

"It was necessary."

"But… weren't you affected? I mean, I can still feel an aura coming from it…" she muttered softly, feeling a faint sense of malice poking into her back.

"The sword chose me as its master. I control it, not the other way around."

_Hmm… Sesshomaru is just as cocky as ever, but he seems truly confident in the matter. I can't claim to know any better, so I'll just have to trust him…_

She rested her eyes as she snuggled up against him, ignoring the coldness of his armor as she curled against it. And then she fell asleep.

He looked down at her after awhile, unable to help but admire her beauty as she slept in his arms.

He got to the front gates and opened up, walking inside calmly, and shutting the door silently behind him. He saw Ah-Un had awoken and watched with sudden concern as he noticed the woman in his master's arms, knowing instantly that it was Lenezma.

Rin and Kikka came running up from the other side of the yard, just as shocked as the dragon upon realizing the situation.

"Len!" Kikka called as she approached.

"Shh…" Sesshomaru said calmly as they approached. "She wore herself out during training."

"Will she be okay?" Rin asked with a whisper.

"She'll be fine, she just needs some rest," he explained with a hushed voice. He began walking over towards the stairs, hearing the girls following right behind.

As he reached the base where the stairs connected to the lower hallways, Jaken came around the corner and stopped instantly at the sight before him. "Jaken, you'll be making dinner for the girls tonight,"

"Uh, yes My Lord," he replied nervously and watched as the demon lord continued up the stairs, obviously meaning to put her to bed.

The girls ran up beside Jaken. "What happened to her?" he asked.

"Lord Sesshomaru says she wore herself out during their training. She didn't look hurt, so I think she's just tired," Rin explained.

"Yeah, so no bothering her, Jaken!"

"What? What makes you think I'd bother her?"

"Who don't you bother?" Kikka teased.

"Hey!" he yelled and chased them back into the house, waving his arms madly at them.

Sesshomaru made his way up to her room and opened her door, slipping inside. He shut the door and set her gently on the bed, sleeping peacefully with her hands crossed on her stomach.

He leaned over, setting his hand on the other side of her; just as he was about to kiss her: "I thought I needed plenty of rest?"

Sesshomaru smiled. Lenezma opened her eyes and stared up into his eyes, just several inches above her own, a smile across her lips.

"That _is_ what you said, isn't it?" Sesshomaru made no reply, just smiled. "So if I'm so tired, what makes you think I have any energy for you?"

"Because you want this as much as I do…" he said and continued to reach for her lips.

They embraced for a short moment, adding the quick flare of tongues, just making the moment a nice, calm, quietness.

Finally Sesshomaru rose, kissing her on the forehead before standing tall, appearing like a giant to Lenezma as she lay on her back.

"Get some rest; I'll see you again tomorrow."

Lenezma nodded with a soft smile before turning on her side, facing the opposite direction as she curled up to fall asleep.

How he longed to reach for her as she lay there peacefully, beautifully. Instead, he gazed fondly and stepped out of the room as quietly as possible, shutting the door behind him...


	21. Chapter 21

**Twenty-One**

"Come on, Sesshomaru!" Lenezma pleaded softly.

She held onto his wrist, dragging him towards the front door, Sesshomaru in his usual apparel, Lenezma wearing her new pure red kimono. The strange part was perhaps the time of day in which they were escaping into the forest: the dead of night.

"Lenezma, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise!" she smiled, but Sesshomaru showed no excitement. "It'll be fun! I promise you!"

"Fun?" he asked cynically.

"Just come on! I left Ah-Un and Maru in charge while we're out! They'll stay here at home and watch over the girls,"

"It's not the girls I'm worried about. My concern is where you're taking me."

"Yeah, well, don't distress yourself too much,"

Lenezma sprinted lightly through the forest, Sesshomaru at her heels.

Sesshomaru began to get curiouser and curiouser as Lenezma continued to lead him further out, many miles beyond his boundaries.

"Lenezma, where are you taking me?" he asked again, coming up along her side.

"We're almost there, it should be just beyond this hill," she replied. She sped ahead of him and he watched as she came to a stop at the top.

He slowed down himself and walked up alongside her. As soon as he reached the top, music filled his ears; he looked down into the clearing where he found their destination.

It was a large field with short grass, only a few trees in the entire area. In the center was a small group of demons and… some humans? They each held their own instrument and were playing strange tunes and notes that Sesshomaru had never heard before. The instruments themselves were foreign to him.

"What is this?" he whispered, still scanning the tiny group, a large bon fire before them, filling the place with light.

"It's a traveling band of music players. Some are demons, some are humans, all who have learned to live together because of their love for music. It's how they make their living, traveling from place to place to play. Even if they're not paid for their performance, they enjoy just knowing people like their music.

"Their music brings them and others together. Look, even that cat and dog down there are playing together to their music," she pointed out.

He set one eye on her, "You sure know a lot about them,"

"Actually I made most of that up," she grinned. "But I have been watching them for awhile now, moving between towns, and studied them, so I'm mostly guessing."

The eye returned to look down upon the peasants. "So, you brought me out here to listen as well?"

"Not just listen, we're going to dance," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his right.

"Dance?" he questioned uneasily with a narrowed gaze.

"What's the matter? Don't know how?" Sesshomaru didn't answer, merely continued to stare at her with the same strange look. "Don't worry about it! Neither do I! Just move your body to the rhythm,"

She said encouragingly. She let go and began to skip down the hill towards the band, leaving Sesshomaru alone on the hill. He watched Lenezma step lightly towards them. His senses became more alert the closer she got…

She took her first soft steps into the light of the fire, walking towards them peacefully, the music filling her ears like a glorious symphony.

The cat and dog that pranced and two young children that danced to the music stopped their giggling laughter and movements to watch the female demon coming towards them.

The little boy ran back to his mother, who played a strange small instrument at her lips. Upon seeing his fright, the entire band stopped their music to stare up at the demon.

Up on the hill, Sesshomaru's muscles tensed up, ready for anything as they stared at her. He watched protectively as Lenezma only continued to walk towards them.

Lenezma stopped by the fire calmly, looking around at the orchestra members and even the little girl that stood frozen in fear.

Lenezma bowed peacefully, "Do not mind me, I merely come to listen to your beautiful music,"

Suddenly the girl's fear vanished and she walked towards Lenezma. She made a slight, toothy grin up at her, her two front teeth missing. "Will you dance with us?"

Lenezma knelt down calmly and looked the girl in her eyes before smiling back, "I'd love to,"

Feeling she was of no threat, the band raised their instruments once again and began playing a merry tune.

The boy ran back out to them and the children began to break into laughter once again, leaping joyously around the fire, flailing their arms in the air erratically. The small dog pranced around their feet, yipping cheerily with them, while even the cat seemed to dance at Lenezma's own feet, mewing sweetly.

Sesshomaru continued to watch them from the hill. He watched the pets frolic at their feet, the children giggling and dancing with Lenezma.

The second song they played was much slower and more serene. Lenezma stayed crouched over to dance with the little boy. Of course it didn't bother Sesshomaru, but... somewhere, hidden in the farthest reaches of his mind, he almost... kind of, sort of wished it was him she were dancing with... But he knew that would only happen if he went down there, and he hadn't moved from that spot in over five minutes.

After the boy left Lenezma to join the other girl - to stop her from crying because she was lonely - Lenezma resorted to the cat. She picked it up gently and set it over her shoulder where she paced and spun around in a circle as if dancing with it.

Once the cat was annoyed, she set it down and picked up the dog instead. She did almost the same thing, but held onto one of the paws while letting the other sit on her shoulder. Again, she twirled around as if dancing with the white, fluffy puppy.

Just before the dance ended, she looked up the hill at Sesshomaru, who continued to stand solemnly at the top, staring down. She smiled and took the puppy's paw and waved it at him. Still staring up at him, she rubbed her nose against the dog's muzzle, who licked her a couple times on the cheek. She glanced one sapphire up at the hill from the dog's cheek, a playful smirk just visible.

But Sesshomaru still stood there. She smiled and chuckled softly. She was trying to signal for him to come down, but he merely ignored it.

Sesshomaru did, indeed, catch her signal, and was almost tempted to go down there, but just couldn't bring himself to join her.

The final tune of the evening was a solo act as both children were too tired to continue, both pets lying at their feet, sleepy themselves.

The tune was high-spirited, filled with many beats and different moods, creating an aura of mysticism around Lenezma as she began to dance wildly around the fire.

Sesshomaru watched her from his post, his eyes bearing down on her as her arms waved in the air around her body in an intoxicating ballet.

Her eyes rarely opened as her feet took tiny steps in all directions, her body twisting and turning, hair flying along as she twirled in such a fascinating array of movements.

Her speed increased as the beat continued, growing heavier, her actions much wilder as she drew closer to the flame.

Suddenly the flames began to jump up, flaring and dancing about just as Len did. The flames burst all around her, giving her the appearance of a beautiful goddess dancing in flames carefree.

The musicians and children were fascinated by the fire's reaction towards her dance, the air tense as they watched the young maiden twirl about, arms waving madly through the air, hair flying with the wind, and two reflective eyes adding excitement.

Sesshomaru could feel his own heart increasing with the beats, his entire attention span completely focused on Lenezma. Even the weakest and stupidest of demons could have attacked him right now and he would never sense them - probably wouldn't even feel their attack.

Her exhilarating arm and hand movements about her face and upper body enticed him, the red-orange glow of the fire behind her only alluring him more. The tune filled his ears, being embedded in his brain along with this beautiful display. It would take a miracle to erase this memory; not even amnesia could cure him of this scene, this feeling that raced all throughout his body.

Sesshomaru quickly turned his gaze away, blinking several times and shaking his head free of the mesmerizing salsa as the song came to an abrupt end. Just as the instruments stopped, the fire flared up one last time before shrinking back down into a calm blaze like before.

Lenezma bowed gratefully, "Thank you for allowing me to dance with you,"

Without another word exchanged, she turned and sprinted lightly back up the hill where she found Sesshomaru still standing and waiting, arms crossed, moody expression on his face.

But his eyes expressed something different, something that seemed to follow his slightly heavy breathing. She began to become slightly frightened by his behavior as his eyes shone down on her with such a strong intensity.

It took a great force, just then, to keep Sesshomaru from grabbing her and never letting go, taking her down with every lust-filled intention in mind.

"Let's go home," he said calmly, his attributes returning to normal rather quickly. He turned and began walking, waiting for Len to walk beside him before hurrying up, leaving the hills behind them.

It wasn't until they were within the reaches of Sesshomaru's domain did they slow back down to a walk, enjoying the calm, warm evening before returning to the mansion.

"Why didn't you join me?" she asked him as they walked down a small path.

Sesshomaru was silent.

"I take you all the way out there to enjoy the music and you just sat up on that hill the entire time!"

"I do not care for such things."

"Obviously… So what did you think of my dancing then?"

The memories of her dancing in the fire returned, causing a jolt throughout his body. He made no reply to her.

"So you didn't like that either?" she spoke, half disappointedly.

Sesshomaru stopped and faced her as she stood there, staring back into his golden eyes. He couldn't dare let her believe that, even if he didn't come right out and say it.

"Lenezma?" he called, facing her completely. "Would you dance for me, again?"

"Hmm? But I have no music," she chuckled, finding this amusing.

"I'll join you this time,"

Her laughter died as he spoke, his gaze firm. _He's serious about this… But why now? Now that the music is gone?_ She gazed into his calm eyes as he waited for her answer.

"All right… But you have to promise to join me!"

"I will, but you must start,"

Len scratched her arm nervously, "Uh, what do you want me to do?"

"Just perform that last dance you did," he replied softly.

Slightly nervous, Len began to try and mimic what she had done earlier; she'd been so captivated by the music she wasn't aware of half the things she did.

She lifted her arms into the air as her feet began to step about, her hands waving like wild winds around her head and body, her hair beginning to flutter about like before.

Sesshomaru could hear the music ringing in his ears, imagining the wild fire glowing behind her. The same lust he felt earlier began to return to him as he watched the gypsy Lenezma dance like before, noticing she was becoming more comfortable with this.

Len danced for a few moments before realizing Sesshomaru still had not joined her. So she began to walk away, still twirling about in her wild ballet.

Sesshomaru slowly began to follow her in a soft walk, speeding up as she gradually began to sprint through the forest.

Len held back a grin, knowing as she watched Sesshomaru follow her that he would not dance. She should have known better… But she did take notice of the way he stalked her, often leaping back and forth; if this was his idea of dancing, she wouldn't want to be next to him when he did it!

Just then, everything seemed to come to a dead halt as Lenezma was frozen with fear, her mind feeling as if she'd rammed into a solid wall.

Sesshomaru skidded in his attempt to abruptly stop, watching as Lenezma came to a stop in the path.

Lenezma had no idea what was happening; all she knew was the existence of a strong presence, completely surrounding her body as if trying to suck it in. Her heart raced and her breath grew heavy as she felt she would feint to such… evil.

"Lenezma?" Sesshomaru called to her. He could see the look of pure terror in her eyes when she quickly glanced towards him. He looked forward, trying to sense whatever it was that Lenezma felt, but found nothing.

He walked closer as her hands grabbed at her head.

_What's going on? I hear something… What are these images?_

Len gasped painfully as incoherent voices whispered to her, images flashing through her head too quickly to catch, but the smell of death was all around her.

"Lenezma!"

Sesshomaru reached for her when suddenly flames burst from the air, licking at his fingers as she gasped yet again, her fingers digging into her skull.

"What's… happening…?" Len whispered as more colors flashed, several of the voices growing louder, though their words were beyond her comprehension. "Get away… Get away from me!"

Lenezma screamed as another wave of the horrific energy slammed into her, enveloping her with great malignity. Her legs suddenly burst into action, carrying her through the forest, dashing through the trees in attempt to escape this horrible presence. She could not hear Sesshomaru, did not hear him call after her when she ran.

He trailed closely, constantly calling her name, but every time he tried to grab her, more flames would burst. Several times her fires would just flare up at nothing at all, as if she were losing control of them.

Was this the same as before? When she lost control? No, this was definitely different…

Suddenly they came upon a stream; Sesshomaru slowed, watching curiously as Lenezma dropped to her knees at the water's edge.

"Lenezma!" his urgent cry echoed loudly as she suddenly plunged her head beneath the water.

He rushed to her side, grabbing her shoulder despite the fires that attacked his arm viciously, yanking her from the water's edge.

Lenezma emerged, her eyes wide as she gasped for air, coughing up a lungful of water.

His golden eyes searched the area furiously, hunting for the creature that must be doing this to her, that would forever regret the day it stepped foot within his domain, even in the afterlife.

"Sesh… Sesshomaru…" Lenezma gasped between hoarse coughs, spitting up the water she'd taken in.

He knelt down beside her, grabbing her shoulder once again. "Lenezma! Are you all right? What happened?" he asked quickly, his urgency severe.

"I… I don't know… Please, let's get out of here," she replied shakily, still coughing horribly. She could still feel it, as if it were lingering in the trees, just waiting for her when she least expected it.

He gently placed his arm around her shoulders as he helped her stand, leading her away at a soft pace, hoping she might feel better the further away they got. He remained close at her side, his hand barely grazing over her back as a guide to keep her walking, as a quick way to grab her should she panic yet again.

He could feel her shaking slowly fade away the farther they got, still uncertain as to why she reacted so strangely, unable to figure out what caused even Lenezma to become so frightened, sending her flames on a rampage.

"I… I don't know what it was," she explained after he asked again. "I was just overcome with some strange feeling all of a sudden… I can't explain it; it just felt as if it were all around me, like the wind itself was attacking me with just its presence,"

Sesshomaru could feel her begin to shake again as she simply tried recalling the incident, knowing her wet face and hair were not helping her condition. _A wind demon perhaps, but I would have surely sensed it. And fear demons are even easier to perceive…_

He led her further out, not stopping until they reached a wide field where there was no source of water for a good while.

Sesshomaru stood at her side, calming her while keeping a keen lookout for the thing that might have done this to her, granted it followed them.

"There were… voices… all around me…" Lenezma began stammering, Sesshomaru not even asking for an explanation, simply dropping his arm back to his side. "I couldn't understand them, but they kept getting louder… and strange… images… kept flashing through my mind, things I couldn't see, only blurs and colors… And that smell... all I could smell was death, all around me."

She looked up at him, her terror still quite evident in her eyes as she continued to quiver. "You didn't feel it? Any of it?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, Lenezma feeling worse than before. _Great, he must think I'm losing it!_

Sesshomaru couldn't help but watch her as she trembled, watching her struggle to calm herself but failing miserably. Lenezma felt embarrassed that she couldn't stop this quaking of hers, her adrenaline still pumping rapidly through her body. She began taking deep breaths, attempting to clear her thoughts…

Birds scattered from nearby trees as Lenezma began screaming yet again, her nails clinging to her scalp as flames began exploding uncontrollably all around her.

But unlike last time, Len was still aware; she didn't tell Sesshomaru, but she had no idea how she came to that stream. She couldn't even tell she was moving, coming back to her senses when her head was plunged into the frigged water, unable to pull herself out as if a pair of hands were holding her down.

Suddenly it vanished.

Lenezma blinked rapidly; her body still shivered terribly, but the voices, the images… the aura itself disappeared, leaving her shaking in Sesshomaru's arms.

He held her tightly against his chest, embracing her with a gentle touch in his attempts to calm her, to let her feel safe.

Lenezma's hands lightly pinched Sesshomaru's kimono top as she fought to control the shaking in her limbs. Her wet hair was soaking through his kimono, but he did not mind, only found comfort in knowing she was finally calming down, the flames under control.

His golden eyes closed peacefully as he rest his head against hers, breathing softly as he stroked her hair, his fingers massaging her head as they traveled through her locks.

Lenezma closed her eyes in peace, unaware of the tears that escaped down her cheeks as he soothed her into relaxation, her trembling gone. They sat in silence, Lenezma burying her face into his chest, listening to his heartbeat as he protected her. Never in her entire life had she felt this way, lost in one's embrace, her existence feeling ultimately secure.

Sesshomaru became slightly aware as he listened to a strange, vibrating noise gurgling in her throat as he continued. _She's purring,_ he concluded as he listened to it further. The purring seemed quite soothing to his own ears, stirring his senses as it only grew louder.

Len slowly raised her head to peer into his tranquil goldenrods, slipping her deeper into this feeling of safety.

"Let's go home, Sesshomaru…" she whispered faintly, suddenly feeling quite tired.

Sesshomaru nodded softly, lifting her into his arms like he'd done so many times. She tried to object, but he insisted, feeling he could bring her back to her senses easier this way than having to chase her down.

"I'm so sorry about this…" Len sighed, grabbing his kimono with one hand, snuggling against his chest as he whisked her off to safety. "I should have never led you out here… none of this would have happened…"

Sesshomaru felt differently. No, he didn't exactly like the way this night ended either, but he would never forget that dance she performed. That was something he'd hold sacred, one of his fondest memories of her…

"Thank you, Sesshomaru," Lenezma spoke again when he did not reply. His silence followed yet again, but his speed increased.

Once back at the mansion, Sesshomaru led her into the fire room for warmth, her hair still rather damp. The warm blaze was a welcoming sight to her as he set her down on one of the pillows.

Sesshomaru settled nearby to ensure her condition was stable.

Both were silent as they gazed into the fires. After a time it seemed to him that she would be all right.

He stood and took his usual place against the far wall, leaning against it while keeping one eye on the fire, the other on little Lenezma. He watched as Len's head hung slightly, her eyelids growing heavy. It wasn't much later that he found her sleeping in her upright position, pondering on how uncomfortable that must be...

Without warning, Lenezma's head bolted up, her breathing hoarse and shaky like before; the fire wavered immensely.

"Lenezma?" he called worriedly, sitting up. Sesshomaru found himself distressed as Len stared at him with the same fear filled eyes she had no more than an hour ago.

"I felt it again… As soon as I got to sleep, that same presence came back! It came back and attacked me again!" she quivered, one hand clinging to her skull once again. To his surprise, she got down on her hands and knees and crawled towards him like a puppy with her tail tucked between her legs. She truly was afraid…

Sesshomaru opened his arms to her as she practically lunged at him, terrified. She was shaking in his arms as she held onto his kimono; one arm reaching around his back while the other wrapped across his chest as she sat at an angle beside him, her eyes welling up the fear was so strong.

"Sesshomaru…" she trembled, "… help me!"

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her tightly, hoping that he might alleviate her panic like before. He gently set his nose on her scalp, her womanly scent filling his lungs serenely as he kept her body close.

Lenezma was ashamed of herself for having to sit in Sesshomaru's arms like this so that she might calm down, an unknown terror attacking her body and mind. This was not her - this was not how she behaved, even when frightened, and Sesshomaru surely knew that. She did not want to leave him with this impression of her, but that terrible feeling crushed any sense of pride and character, leaving her trembling like a lost infant in the cold rain.

One of Sesshomaru's hands began slowly sliding around her neck and shoulders, rubbing her back leisurely.

Her fear began to dissipate quickly, unable to help but enjoy the pleasurable feeling his massage gave her. She carefully slid further to his side as she leaned against Sesshomaru's torso, rubbing her chin into his chest as she grew comfortable, his arm wrapping around her back protectively, keeping her close to him.

Sesshomaru could sense her body calming, no longer shaking quite so violently, but still he held her close.

Lenezma, now calm again, Sesshomaru's embrace having driven away the horror, remained close to him of her own will.

Her ear rest flat against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat like before.

Slowly, Sesshomaru leaned back against the wall. Lenezma continued to lean against him comfortably, her head resting on his chest like a pillow, feeling safe enough to sleep when she noticed he did not remove his arm from around her shoulders.

Sesshomaru peered down at her shortly after, finding her fast asleep in his arms. He grinned peacefully for a moment before resting his own head back, closing his eyes.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Rin sat up in bed quickly, having awoken from a dream. _It's the same dream… those strangers and Lord Sesshomaru. But there was so much more this time… _

She quietly rose from the bed, making sure not to disturb Kikka as she continued to sleep peacefully.

She slinked out of the room and shut the door silently. She tiptoed to Sesshomaru's room and rapped on the door carefully, but no answer came. She traveled down to Len's room and did the same, but again, no answer.

"Leny?" she called softly as she peered into the room cautiously. No one. Rin moaned sadly, her heart sinking.

Feeling unsure of what to do, and unwilling to go to Jaken, she walked down the stone steps quietly, planning on at least getting a drink before returning to her room. As she reached the main hall, she noticed the fire room's door was partially opened.

_That's strange, it's always closed… Wait! That must be where Lord Sesshomaru and Lenezma are!_

She quickly ran to the door, still trying to be silent though. She slowed to a tiptoe as she approached, glancing into the room carefully…

Rin stared blankly for a moment, double blinking and rubbing her eyes for clarity. Was this for real? _Is it true?_ she smiled hopefully, almost unable to believe this was really happening after so long. _Lord Sesshomaru, Lenezma…! _

With a single step taken, Rin had decided to leave them be, to enjoy the solitude – who knew how often this happened? But when she tried to leave, the uneasiness she felt from before returned as memories of her dream returned, how the cat in her dream had tried attacking Sesshomaru, later trying to escape him, a strange look in its eyes…

_I want to leave them, but I'm worried about my dream… Besides, _she glanced back through the opening,_ they're bound to know I'm here. They __**will**__ know that I know then, but if I go in anyway, maybe I can at least play it off…_

Carefully, feigning innocence, she slipped into the room and walked towards them, but neither moved.

Rin began to wonder why they did not respond to her approach. Why did they not open their eyes? She could see both of their bodies heaving with life, so why did they not move?

She observed their closeness as she approached, giggling on the inside; their arms were wrapped very gently around each other, Sesshomaru's face slightly turned towards Len's head.

But as she narrowed the distance from them, her concern began to amplify.

She kneeled down next to Sesshomaru's leg. She did not want to call out his name and wake him, but she did want him to acknowledge her presence. Wearily, she poked his pant leg, but still no reaction.

Rin took a deep breath followed by a loud gulp in her throat. She had not planned her next set of actions:

The young human crawled next to her lord's side and lay down beside him. She curled up against his right leg, nuzzling her cheek into the tail end of his furry boa like a pillow, fidgeting about before she became comfortable.

A moment later, Rin was fast asleep at her Lord's side.

Sesshomaru stared down at the young girl who slept next to him just like the woman he'd grown affectionate for. Carefully, without disturbing her, he reached out and ran his fingers through her hair, petting her for only a moment before returning his arm to his side.

Lenezma smiled. She rubbed her head into Sesshomaru's chest once more before quickly falling back asleep.

Sesshomaru stared down at them. They were his girls. Only Kikka was needed to complete the family he'd put together: two daughters… and a mate.


	22. Chapter 22

**Twenty-Two**

The white demon's eyes slowly blinked open, the yellow light of the dimmed fire glowing rather painfully. He blinked away his sleepiness, his senses telling him it was morning – he could hear the early birds outside.

His body told him it was time to get up, time to start the hunt, but when his eyes dropped to the figures at his side, he did not want to leave.

Both Lenezma and Rin were still snuggled against him comfortably, his arm still wrapped around the feline, keeping her close. This was the first time that he and Lenezma had spent a night together, and it was the first in many weeks in which he had slept so soundly. He did not want to get up, to leave the embrace he was currently caught up in…

Sesshomaru's eyes fell upon the head of white and brown hair, breathing her scent in deeply with closed eyes… His hand glided up her back and arm, causing her to stir faintly, her cheek nuzzling into his chest deeper with a moan.

Asking her to wake up would be even harder now, but duty called much to his dismay. Besides, Jaken would be waking soon and who was to say that the imp wouldn't come this way?

No, Jaken had to be left out of the loop.

Sesshomaru could quiet the toad with little effort; it was not Jaken's place to decide whom Sesshomaru could mate with or argue with him on the subject – what Sesshomaru did was none of the imp's business. If he wanted Lenezma, a half-demon, for his mate, then that's how it was; he would just have to deal with it and keep his trap shut lest be beaten by Sesshomaru for questioning his intentions.

All around, it was simply safer and less of a hassle if the imp remained oblivious. The girls were one thing, but Jaken was another.

Rin and Kikka he could trust to be supportive of the idea – not to mention he'd seen Rin in action, telling Lenezma some strange things, as if trying to get her to be with him. She was pretty intuitive about such matters, he had noticed over the years, and had probably caught wind of the feelings he bore for Lenezma.

Kikka was also a safe bet – she might question the idea at first, but Rin would undoubtedly influence her towards the brighter side of things. Besides, Kikka had grown attached to Sesshomaru since Lenezma's mysterious freak out and behaved just like Rin, bringing him flowers and such. Yes, the girls were safe, and Jaken was a minor inconvenience… and yet, he could not help but want to keep it to themselves. The time they spent together was sacred, and he wouldn't allow it to be spoiled.

"Lenezma?" he whispered softly as his claws played at her hair, causing her to stir out of sleep and into a daze – her eyes were parted, but her mind was not yet awake.

"Mmm?" she moaned as he called to her again, feeling his fingers coax her out of drowsiness. "What is it?" she asked lethargically, slowly lifting herself from his torso in order to look him in the eyes.

His stomach twisted into knots; "Forgive me… but I must be off."

She stared for a few seconds before the notion fully hit her: "Oh! Okay…" she faded off, still not completely awake and probably a little disappointed at the same time.

Lenezma shifted in order to give him room to stand, Sesshomaru having to take an extra minute just to make sure he did not disturb Rin's sleep in his ascent.

Before he could stand, Len's voice called to him softly with a faint sadness: "Will I see you again today?"

Sesshomaru, sitting on one knee, turned back to her with a quiet affection. He leaned towards her, resting his forehead against hers peacefully: "I promise…"

He pressed forward and met lips with her once, twice, stealing a sort of farewell kiss from her, as well as sealing his promise.

Finally he drew to a stand, taking a few steps before glancing back at Lenezma as she began settling back down on the floor, but this time at Rin's side, wrapping a warm arm around her as they snuggled together.

"Take care of her for me," he called faintly, catching a small smile on her lips before Len nodded, pulling the girl in closer.

With nothing left to say, he turned and left the room in order to begin the day's routine, feeling his heart wrench all the way out to the forest, his body still wishing it had not left them, that it had stayed at their side…

But he had business he had to attend to, a particular area that he had to investigate first and above all.

Before long, he was back in the far north-western territories where Lenezma had first felt that foreign attack.

Sesshomaru checked around the area several times, following the paths they took to and from their musical endeavor, but found absolutely no sign of what could have caused her so much suffering; there wasn't a single hint towards any demonic life form being present at the time except he and Lenezma.

What could it have been? He had sensed nothing last night and found nothing now – what could have hurt her so much and left him unaffected? What power did he protect her from with just his touch?

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Nearly a week had passed since the incident and Lenezma was no longer able to sense the evil aura, as if none of it had ever happened.

Sesshomaru was never able to find a source and requested she stay away from the area for a while, just as a precaution, while also warning her to be on guard in case it had moved.

Lenezma obeyed his request willingly, never wanting to experience such horror ever again, the way it had taken over her body and tried to kill her...

But it was never sensed, never discovered, and Len was once again able to travel the lands freely – though she still avoided the border, just in case. With this freedom, she was hardly ever training and only on occasion meeting up with Sesshomaru for some downtime. Most of her days were now spent in the barren wasteland she had been given, her hopes for this land high as she worked vigorously to revive the beauty it once held…

Lenezma dropped onto her bed with a thud, exhausted from working out in her "hope-to-be-a-garden." She'd been out there working hard, almost nonstop for the past few days, trying to work with the dirt, but very little, if any, progress was made. She groaned at the thought of her kimono - the red one with blue roses - being so dirty, knowing she needed to change but unwilling to do so.

She lay on her back, one hand on her stomach, the other behind her head as she stared at the ceiling pondering, _How am I ever going to get something to grow in that place?_

She sighed and forced herself back up, intent on changing, but instead wandered towards the windowsill where she sat down with ease, her mind not even realizing her own actions for several moments.

It was nearly a full moon out; no clouds were about, but several stars twinkled as she gazed, her thoughts wandering off…

Len turned at the sound of her door, finding, to her surprise, Sesshomaru as he entered, staring back at her calmly.

"May I help you?" she asked, smiling up at the blank demon.

"I can't come in here?" he asked casually as he strode towards her.

"You can, I just wasn't expecting you," she said, returning her eyes on the scenery.

Sesshomaru was silent as he continued to stare. Lenezma sensed him approach, sitting on the sill behind her as they both stared off. A few minutes more passed by when Sesshomaru's voice suddenly floated into her ears, a sweet tenderness escaping his lips, his words stunning her… "May I?"

She felt his hands grace her waist, barely touching her as they desired to wrap around her, but waiting for her approval.

For a split second, the old fear she felt came crawling back into her heart, its icy touch causing her to cringe.

Sesshomaru felt her reaction and began removing his hands, unwilling to force her into something she was not comfortable with. He'd seen her reaction once before in this very room – he had no desire to relive that.

His eyes widened at her touch: before his hands could slip away, she grabbed them and pulled them back. Her fingers slipped in-between his as she slowly wrapped them around her abdomen, her body easing back against his chest. "Lenezma…"

"I'll be okay…" she whispered softly, hoping to hide the fear from her voice, as she nuzzled into him with eyes closed. "I know it's you… just… hold me for a bit…"

Sesshomaru stared down in slight awe, surprised by her sudden desire for affection, 'to be held' by him…

His hands slowly tightened their hold on her, bringing her in close where, as she requested, he held her.

Her head rested comfortably against one shoulder, her hands resting on top of his easily as the ice melted, her heart growing accustomed to his affection. Time went on as they sat in silence, Lenezma's exhaustion catching up on her as she felt ready to fall asleep against him.

She suddenly became more aware of him as he began decreasing the distance between them. He rubbed his head against the side of hers, his nose above her fluffy ears.

She breathed a little nervously when she felt his soft, hot breath on her ears and even her neck, sending chills down her spine; she could feel his hand gently bringing her closer to him, rubbing against her abdomen and ribs.

Nervous, but unable to resist her bodily urges, she turned her head over and looked him straight in the golden eyes, gleaming and showing no possible emotion except desire.

Sesshomaru gave her room to reposition herself, allowing them to lock lips fervently.

Their tongues danced in a romantic, eloquent requiem as Lenezma's hand rose, grabbing the back of his head gently.

The excitement in the air began to increase as Sesshomaru's kisses grew intense, his hands beginning to rub against her ribs roughly.

Lenezma's eyes flickered open rapidly as she removed her hand from his head, Sesshomaru's kisses trailing from her lips to jawbone, licking at her neck.

"Sesshomaru!" she quickly gasped, the urgency in her voice the only thing that stopped him. His head quickly retreated, looking down upon the woman beneath him who panted wildly, enticing him even more."Please... Not here," she finally spoke, taking a moment to compose herself as she straightened up, giving her heart a chance to calm itself, ridding herself of the temporary fear that struck up within her when his actions grew a little too fast-paced. She may have told him 'not here' but was really thinking 'not yet.'

She was not ready for anything serious yet, still desiring to break into things slowly despite the vast improvements she'd made.

Sesshomaru could sense this.

He did not complain however, knowing that if he were to force her, she would grow distant from him like before, and regaining her trust would be harder than ever. He would readily wait until she was ready, no matter how long it took. As long as she was there for him, nothing else mattered.

"Hey, I have an idea," Lenezma suddenly turned to him and smiled. She came to a stand and innocently took his hand, pulling him to his feet and leading him out of the room. Where was she leading him this time? What on earth did she have in mind?

Lenezma stepped through the clearing lightly, Sesshomaru right behind her.

Sesshomaru glared down at the pond before them. "I'm not one for swimming."

"What? Oh come on! I'm a fire _and_ a cat demon and I still love the water, so I know it's no big deal for a dog demon! Not one such as strong as yourself!" she taunted. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Lenezma quickly turned and ran towards the pond, diving right in without hesitation. When her head reemerged from the water, she threw her head back, sending wet hair flying, droplets of water flinging off into the air, sparkling in the white light given off by the moon.

She giggled at him and waved for him to come join her, but he merely walked towards the pond at a very slow pace. He really did not want to swim.

Ever annoyingly, Sesshomaru took two steps into the pond, feeling the water as it filled his boots. That was one reason he didn't like wading into water: that disgusting feeling of it soaking though his boots to his feet. If on the hunt, he would proceed without care, but recreational purposes were out of the question…

"Oh, would you get in here already? Look, I'm standing on the bottom! This is as deep as it gets!" she called to him, the water level just barely reaching her chin. "The water feels wonderful!"

Bitterly, Sesshomaru waded further into the pond with her, stopping just after it covered his knees. He could feel his shoes sinking ever so slightly into the slimy silt beneath him. How could Lenezma stand this? She didn't even wear any shoes!

Len giggled delightfully at his sulky attitude as she leaned back, merely staying afloat, only part of her chest and face truly above the surface.

The sight of Lenezma's… 'perkiness'… became an invitation for him as some of his stronger instincts began rising up in him.

Ever since their first moment in the field, Sesshomaru had struggled greatly to hold back his urges to attack her in a rather lustful way. There had been a few instances where they managed to sneak out when the two were together, but he would always regain control almost instantly.

When Lenezma's body sank back beneath the shadows of the water, it helped him to control those urges.

Finally, Sesshomaru walked further out into the deep parts of the pond, leaving the water level just past his collarbone; he had hesitated a moment before entering the water with his actual body, but gave in to Lenezma's calls and taunts.

Now that he was in, he demanded to know what this was all for. Lenezma gave no answer as she took a deep breath and sank back under the water.

During the day, it would be no problem to see where she was, but the bright moon cast a glare on the surface, preventing him from even finding her shadow in the water. Only a few times could he feel the pressure from her moving limbs on his body as she swam around.

Finally she jumped into the air, just behind him, inhaling quickly before grabbing his shoulders and pulling back as hard as she could.

As firm standing as Sesshomaru was, the ground beneath him was not. His feet slipped in the mud, leaving Lenezma's attempts to pull him under victorious, with very little air in his lungs.

As soon as she let go, he pushed himself back up to the surface where he gathered fresh air, only having half a breath when she dragged him under.

Okay, he was a little more than slightly annoyed now that he was completely wet, his soaked hair plastered to his face.

Lenezma reemerged once again, laughing.

Sesshomaru quickly turned to find her as she popped up behind him once again. The second he laid eyes on her, he turned to face her… and started after her as best he could.

Lenezma knew he intended to chase her down and made a break for it, rushing towards dry land, laughing all the way.

Both began wading through the water as fast as possible.

Lenezma rushed into the shallows and splashed around greatly as she exit the pond, Sesshomaru not far behind her. As soon as Sesshomaru hit solid ground, he was finally able to speed up greatly, chasing her into the trees.

Lenezma ran for a little bit in one direction when suddenly turning around and heading straight back to the pond, serpentine through the trees, Sesshomaru still on her tail. But right before he could catch her, she managed to reach the pond and dive right back into the water.

She quickly resurfaced, taking in a deep breath right as she saw the end of a splash, but no Sesshomaru. Right as she sucked in her air, two hands grabbed her lower legs, pulling her right back under, her feet skidding along the bottom.

She sank deep into the water at the powerful hands of Sesshomaru, who had actually dived in after her!

Under the surface, the two could barely make out each other's figures even with the light from the moon shining through the clear blue water.

Sesshomaru's arms wrapped around Lenezma's body and several bubbles escaped both mouths as they opened before connecting, a few more escaping their mouths now and then as they continued to kiss beneath the water, their bodies very slowly rising back up to the surface.

Just as Sesshomaru's head was about to touch the surface, they broke the kiss to meet up top and take in more air, coughing to clear out their lungs, Len doing so while laughing.

She smiled up at Sesshomaru who had a feint grin of his own, his long hair plastered all over his body.

"And I thought you didn't like the water..."

"I adjust easily," he replied, pulling some long strands off his face.

Len chuckled softly at him before wrapping her arms around his neck to reconnect their lips, continuing their kiss, Sesshomaru's limbs holding her tightly against him. Sesshomaru almost couldn't fight off his instincts when her cold breasts were pressed against his chest; she could tell when his tongue suddenly attacked her own viciously, but calmed down an instant later.

Lenezma more or less knew of his struggle, aware that his inner urges sometimes slipped out; she knew he would never let such impulses get the better of either of them, not Sesshomaru, but she never really knew how hard he was actually fighting off his bodily desires. He did not want to scare Lenezma with such a force.

Several moments later, they were lying on the small beach of the pond, their waists and legs still mostly in water. While Lenezma's back lay in the grass, Sesshomaru's body rested gently on top of her as they continued to enjoy each other's company – this proved that Lenezma had grown more adjusted, for he did not simply keep his legs to the side, but his torso completely covered her own, his legs parted around hers – to part _her_ legs would still be dangerous at this point.

Lenezma, after all this time, was warming up to his advances, reacting favorably to the closeness in which he kept their bodies, his occasional rubbing against her in an up and down motion. Despite the brothel, she had never been exposed to such action, but was quickly realizing how much she enjoyed it...

Sesshomaru intended to eventually rid her of this ignorance.

She also noticed he had taken a liking towards her birthmark and much of her neck in general – a place she had only just yesterday given him permission to play with. As it turned out, she was glad that she had.

He was almost constantly sucking at her neck, smothering it in kisses. He did the same for her birthmark, occasionally licking it as well.

Len had no idea what he found so magnificent about it, but it felt wonderful when he'd do it. She quickly learned just how sensitive she was to his loving touches in these areas, quite aware of the fact that Sesshomaru would purposefully go for these spots just to get a reaction from her.

And he did it often, finding her occasional gasps and shivers to be exhilarating, her reactions fueling the fire within him.

But beyond this, there was just something tantalizingly good about her neck and the way it tasted. It wasn't that he bore any vampiric tendencies, there was just something he loved about it! Specifically her star, drawing him in more than anything else, and its location just above her collarbone was a bonus - it was one of her hot spots.

Lenezma herself never really got to give back to him. She desired to return something for all he'd done for her, but as much as she wanted to, did not know how she could.

Her occasional aggression was an attempt to return the favor, but he was much more dominant than her and always found a way to ease her aggression and take control once again. Besides, she quite enjoyed all the attention he gave her…

But here and now, despite the progress they'd made, was the farthest they'd gone with one another.

Lenezma, as admitted earlier, did not feel quite ready for anything much further beyond this, and Sesshomaru managed to hold back those greater urges so that he may abide by Lenezma's wishes. To him, it was just like their first few kisses: she would accept them when she was ready, just as she would desire to officially mate with him when she was willing.

For another few moments, they stuck with each other's lips, kissing each other intimately, still lying half way in the water. For being so uptight about his feet getting wet, Sesshomaru sure wasn't minding it too much right now…

Finally they broke their kisses and Sesshomaru rolled onto his back, sitting up by his elbows, staring down at the calm surface of the water, his heels still buried in the mud.

Lenezma sighed in satisfaction before sitting up as well. It was odd, these strange sensations she was experiencing. Sesshomaru was so… passionate. Only he could make her feel this way out of 100 men, she was sure of it; his calm and relaxing style just sent chills down her spine. This was, by far, the longest make out session they've had yet.

She looked over as Sesshomaru pulled his feet out of the water, scooting up further onto land. He reached down and yanked his right boot off, tipping it, several ounces of water spilling out into the grass.

Lenezma giggled at his annoyance as he set the boot aside so that it could dry a bit, doing the same with his other boot. She'd never seen his feet before; they were quite similar to hers really: pale, five toes, toenails that slightly came to a point, and pruney skin from staying in the water so long. The only difference was they were longer than hers, his ankles bearing similar marks as his wrists.

She also scooted her feet out of the water, the both of them shaking their feet off almost simultaneously.

When finished, Lenezma scooted away a little more before falling back on her back, spreading her arms wide so that she might dry a little faster. She didn't feel very wet anymore, but her clothes were still damp.

Sesshomaru leaned back on his elbows again, glancing about. He, too, was still pretty wet from their long swim. He glanced over at Lenezma, seeing her lay there in peaceful serenity, her eyes closed as if she'd slip into dreamland.

He averted his eyes swiftly, feeling a quick pulse in his chest. His demonic instincts, even now, were trying to break through. He was much too powerful to let such things overwhelm him… but then again, Lenezma managed to do it.

She had somehow broken through his barriers and parts of his ego – only parts – and was the reason he did some of the things he did. For example, the whole holding hands thing: she had grabbed his hand like a child, but to his own astonishment, his hand had gripped hers as well. Not even as a child did he take his mother's hand like he held Lenezma's.

And to think that everything all began that long ago day in the fields, the day when neither got along during their offensive training. Sesshomaru had pinned her to a tree twice, suffocating her, but she never showed him any fear – she dared him on.

There was something about her then, something that stood out in his head above all else, calling to him with an unnatural force. It was perhaps on that day that his feelings truly began to shift, eventually arousing those sensations in his chest. It may have been her glare that first attracted him, but that smile of hers, when she first produced her fires, had sped up the process immensely.

Yes, feelings… Another thing Lenezma put into him. Technically, it was Rin who first began to gradually change him, but not to this extent.

Rin and Jaken were another subject, however. Never in his life would he verbally admit any sort of feeling for either of them – still won't as long as he can help it – but he most certainly acknowledged it a little more.

All of these things were fine and all – well, his own wording would be 'whatever' – but it was also because of her that his inner instincts were coming out like this.

Ever since he was as small as Rin, his parents had taught him to be the way he was, perfecting it as he grew older. His will alone overpowered every instinct in his body. He could control those urges at any time of the day, no matter what the circumstance or the situation he was pitted against.

But with Len's gradual break down of all his defenses, his instincts were beginning to try and break out. And they were aimed at her.

When he was around her, when they were intimate, that's when these urges from deep within him would start trying to come out.

One thing that made these urges harder to control was that he'd never dealt with them before. The only instincts that ever arose in him before were of the typical demonic variety, cravings to kill and occasionally eat his victims, or just flat out desecrate towns.

These instincts, on the other hand, wanted Lenezma. They filled him with a deep lust to just take her; he would desire to ravage her body uncontrollably, consuming her in this dangerous hunger of his.

But it was his will along with other, less harmful, instincts that allowed him to hold the dangerous ones back. He had no true desire within him to overwhelm her in such an erratic flow of motion, overtaking her body in such a violent manner. That was not who he was, especially when dealing with such emotions.

He glanced over at her as she began to move around again. He watched as she pushed herself up, standing tall as she stretched wide with a long yawn.

Following her lead, he also stood up, but did not stretch nor yawn.

"Come. It is late and you are tired,"

"I'm okay," Lenezma replied despite the heaviness in her eyelids. She woke very early that morning and worked hard on the dirt all day, only to join Sesshomaru this night in romance. Both knew it was time for her to sleep.

"Of course," Sesshomaru replied as he picked up his boots. He knew better than to believe her, but he had learned that if he gave in to her in the beginning, she would follow along without argument.

He began walking home, Lenezma right beside him. Their walking helped to dry their clothes; the night was warm and the wind in the fields caused their sleeves and hair to wave around.

When home, Sesshomaru led her to the fire room, both still quite damp.

Sesshomaru dropped his boots near the fire. He glared at them as small drops of water shook off from the fall. _They'll need a good day out in the hot sun to dry completely._

He sat down in his usual area, resting against the wall as he watched Lenezma stand next to the fire, still trying to dry her kimono.

Lenezma watched as he shut his eyes peacefully, apathetic to the world around him. As she stared she began to wonder…

When she first met Sesshomaru, she could barely get away with speaking to him without being scolded or fear the threat of being attacked. Yet ever since they… came together… she'd been getting away with a lot of things.

She touched his arm once, hugged him randomly on occasion, and even got away with holding his hand. And when that… "evil" attacked her, he held her in sleep. Surely he would not mind if…?

"Sesshomaru…" she whispered hesitantly, earning both eyes. She swallowed hard before meeting his golden rods, "… May I?"

Sesshomaru made no response, staring at her softly before his eyes faded shut, his head slightly turning back to the fire.

His golden eyes reopened as he sensed Lenezma settle next to him, his mind blank as she rested next to him, leaning against his arm. One of her hands softly gripped his sleeve as she snuggled into him, rubbing her cheek into his shoulder with a faint smile.

Sesshomaru stared down at her, just staring as she cuddled against him similar to before, falling deep asleep.

He turned back to the fire slowly, gazing for only a short time before sighing and closing his eyes.

And just like last time, with Lenezma cuddled up at his side, he, too, fell fast asleep. He did not wake to any birds or foxes, nor Lenezma's occasional movement. It was his first _deep_ sleep in months.


	23. Chapter 23

**Twenty-Three**

With mid-summer now upon them, neither found they could spare much time for the other.

It was the season when many demon young, just born that spring, would be venturing out of their nests to explore, while the more adolescent devils would be out to make names for themselves, find their own territory and maybe even a mate, leaving Sesshomaru occupied with his duty to guard his home.

Lenezma, in the mean time, was still dealing with her garden. She had been constantly shifting the earth throughout the area, placing handfuls of loose grass and picked flowers everywhere so that their seeds would sink into the earth and eventually sprout. She even buried several nuts so that trees might grow as well.

Before this, though, she had scorched the land with her fires. She kept full control of her fires so that they would not catch onto the grass and trees at the edge, spreading a wild fire - Sesshomaru wouldn't be too pleased with that. She had hoped - perhaps foolishly - that she might be able to burn away the evil residue that kept the earth infertile, and that maybe, just maybe, her grandmother's words would hold true, that their flames truly held the power of life in them.

As for the three midgets, time went by as usual.

Jakan was cursing at everything the girls did while having to cook and clean without Lenezma's assistance.

Rin and Kikka continued to bug Jakan freely, giggling everywhere they went. Though it had disappeared for a while, Rin's cough was returning – again. It wasn't as bad the first time, but she was indeed coughing a little more than usual. Jakan had given her more medicine, which seemed to help a tad.

Regardless, Lenezma would often leave Fawn or her new pet, Aras, to play with them. Aras was a wolf pup, cute and loveable despite the flaming lava-like body.

Fawn was mostly for Jakan to use when playing tag or hide-and-go-seek, but Aras would keep the girls busy for hours and hours until they were too exhausted to even eat dinner at night.

On this night, Lenezma came home from a hard day's work in the field and destroying some insect families she'd found, absorbing Aras back into her as soon as she could. She entered the kitchen where she found dinner's leftovers and ate it merrily as alone as she was.

On her way up to her room, she stopped at Sesshomaru's doors. It seemed weird going so long without him at her side. She was still used to being by him almost every day during training, and after falling for one another, they met more and more often to indulge in the other's company. But now…

She knocked on his door lightly. No response came. She pushed the doors open ever so slightly, peeking in, finding he really wasn't in there, just a few dim candles ready to go out.

She closed the doors softly behind, not wanting to wake the girls or Jakan up. After all, it was pretty late into the night.

Lenezma walked lightly through the room, looking around at the vast amount of space. She smiled as she looked upon all the vases of flowers, constantly refilled every time the girls were allowed to pick flowers out in the fields. It never seemed like they were looked after, left untouched, but all the jars were kept watered.

She was just getting ready to light some of the larger candles, to spare the smaller ones, when she heard a door sliding open.

Len turned quickly at the sound, finding Sesshomaru entering his room through the balcony, staring at her the entire time.

"You're back," she spoke lightly, merely stating the obvious.

"And you?"

"I just stopped by to see if you were in. I was going to light some more candles for you," she replied almost timidly. Sesshomaru was usually very finicky about people going into his room…

"It is not necessary."

There was silence between the two as Sesshomaru walked to a corner where he began slipping his armor off, placing his swords in specific places, and gently dropping his boa onto the bed.

Lenezma never quite figured out why he stuck with the whole ensemble, but never questioned him. Besides, she'd seen him without the boa: it just didn't look like him, like he was unbalanced even though he was more symmetrical.

He walked towards her a little and she walked the rest of the distance to reach him, smiling shyly as she approached. "I've missed you these past couple of days,"

"As have I," he replied soothingly as she stopped before him, his eyes gazing down tenderly into her cerulean gems. In truth, it didn't bother him as much because he got two things out of it: he got to go around killing things and it gave him time to put his recent urges under further control. Still, he longed to take her in his arms and taste her sweet flesh as always, that urge doubling now that she was here before him.

Lenezma softly pinched his kimono top between her fingers as she stepped closer to him, reaching up and stealing a kiss from him. They continued to kiss a moment, Sesshomaru's arms finding their way around her body.

Suddenly, amidst their embrace, one of the urges broke loose again. Sesshomaru fought to regain control as he tightened his grip on her small body, turning their tender kisses into a tongue brawl.

As soon as he pushed it aside, he broke the kiss immediately, hoping he didn't frighten her while trying to act cool as if everything were okay. But it did not appear quite that way from Lenezma's reaction.

It wasn't that she did anything, but her eyes revealed the shock she experienced. She wasn't expecting something so... vicious.

"Forgive me," Sesshomaru quickly spoke, hoping to apologize for any inconvenience he might have placed upon her.

"No," Lenezma spoke quickly in her 'it's all right' tone of voice, "you're fine…" she finished. Though her eyes did show surprise, they also showed understanding.

"Listen, Sesshomaru," she spoke, avoiding his eyes at the moment, "I've noticed you've been behaving strangely when we're together…"

"It's nothing," Sesshomaru interrupted, trying to convince her that she had nothing to worry about.

"It's okay… I know what it is, and I understand. I know you've been fighting some of your natural instincts, and I respect that of you, I really do."

Sesshomaru was silent, waiting for her to get to the point of this.

"And it's all right. I realize you might have trouble at times, but it really is okay… And I want to prove that I'm okay with it."

Sesshomaru's expression changed ever so slightly. "You mean…?" he faded, keeping any eagerness from his voice.

"No, no, nothing like that. I'm still not ready for that, I'm afraid," she faded, averting her eyes from his for a moment, but returned shortly after. "But… for right now, I'm going to allow you to release those urges,"

That took Sesshomaru by surprise, but only Lenezma could have sensed it in his eyes.

"For just a little bit, you can let your instincts take over,"

Sesshomaru was still shocked at her words. Did she really know what she was getting herself into? Did she really have to ask this of him after he'd been forcing them back into one of the deep chambers of his soul for so long?

He stared at her hard for a moment. "Are you sure about this?"

Lenezma nodded, uncertainty in her eyes. "It's true I don't quite know what to expect from this, but if you can… try not to get _too_ carried away with this..."

"I shall try… but I cannot promise how easily I'll be able to retake control once I let go."

Lenezma hesitated a moment before nodding her head and staring directly into his eyes, anxiety still clearly expressed in them.

Hesitantly, Sesshomaru took his hand and raised her chin gently, forcing her to look him straight in the eyes. Both eyes slid shut as Sesshomaru leaned in and slowly pressed his lips against hers. He began to kiss her, just about to give in to his urges as they crept up his throat, when he yanked his head back quickly, shocking her.

He stared into her eyes, stern for an instant before changing into his normal, serene, golden rods that were always there when he was with Lenezma. His hand never leaving Lenezma's chin, he smiled ever so slightly as he sighed easily, his head tilting to rest against hers.

"My dear Lenezma…" he spoke softly, never looking away from her deep blue jewels. It was about then when his smile faded. "Any other time, I would encourage you to respond to my affection, but now is not the time. I feel that if you were to give your ardor in return, it would make it more difficult for me to stop. So for now, just stay there and do nothing… let my body do the work."

Lenezma, afraid to take her eyes off his in his normal – and currently seductive – state, swallowed hard and gave a very slight nod, her chin still in his hand and foreheads pressed against each other. Something about the way he said that seemed to frighten her, but she hid her anxiety so that Sesshomaru would not back away.

Her relaxed breath on his lips let him know she understood; she was ready. At least, she hoped so, for even he actually worried what this might do to her, how it could change her views about him.

Gently, Sesshomaru reached forward and kissed her again, finding it slightly odd now that she didn't kiss back, just standing there like a statue while he expressed his lust for her. It reminded him of when she was still too confused about everything and refused his kisses.

His hand lowered and joined the other to wrap around her like before. His loving kiss was calm and normal for a moment, but Lenezma could quite easily tell when he wasn't himself anymore.

Like she'd experienced many times before, Sesshomaru's mouth grew violent as his tongue was practically shoved down her throat. His hold on her grew tight as his hands were rapidly moving all over her back. All she could do was hold on to his kimono with all her strength as his pent up impulses were finally released onto her.

She could only stand there in shock as his mouth quickly began to trail along her cheeks and jawbones, kissing and sucking at her skin wildly.

He began to breath heavily as he made his way to her neck, Lenezma's own quick breaths fueling him further. She began fighting herself to breath calmly, knowing what it was doing to him, but could not help it – her body was on fire.

Lenezma almost grew fearful of him when his wide-open mouth scaled over her bare neck, feeling the tips of his sharp fangs as they caressed her skin. She deeply hoped that Sesshomaru would keep himself in tact as much as possible to keep from biting her. Yet at the same time, the tickle she got from it seemed to arouse her even more, a voice in the back of her head actually crying out for him to do it… But why?

His mouth grew smaller once again as he simply began to caress her skin with his tongue, licking up and down her neck before sucking away at it again with his ferocious kisses. This was definitely not the passionate Sesshomaru she knew.

One hand remained just above her waist while the other held the back of her head and cocked it to the side, leaving her neck open as well as opening up the front side to him. He was now holding her at an angle, his body to the side of hers, almost completely holding up her weight all on his own as her feet barely touched the floor.

Lenezma's hands continued to grip at his kimono tightly. Her left hand held onto his right shoulder, that particular arm being the one around her waist, bearing most of her weight. The other could only grab what she thought was his side. Her head lay back as if floating there, taking deep gasps of air as he continued his luscious trip around her neck, her heart pounding rapidly.

Just like the normal Sesshomaru, he was paying close attention to the area around her star and collarbone. He began showing his canine side as gruff noises escaped his throat, like a starving dog intent on picking a bone clean.

These odd noises seemed to excite Lenezma even more, releasing quick breaths once again, gasping now and then when the nibbles he took at her flesh got a little too rough. Her responses to his actions only sent him further into his lust, his tongue beginning to trail down Len's center.

His teeth began grabbing at her kimono, trying to remove it so that he may continue his course until reaching her true center, where there would surely be no way of stopping him. Lenezma feared that just by letting him reach her breasts it may be too late.

"Sesshomaru…" she began trying to call his name through her heavy breaths, hoping her voice might reach him even through her own excitement.

He did not stop at trying to tug her kimono edges aside. His hair was constantly falling over his shoulders, most of it landing on her stomach.

Lenezma called his name again yet still he continued, leaving her more determined to end this before she feared even she might not be able to stop him, let alone himself.

"Sesshomaru!" she called quick and harshly, releasing her grip on his kimono and pushing off of him.

She quickly fell to the floor as her support faded, Sesshomaru dropping her before stepping back, a hand at his head, shaking it roughly, freeing himself.

She remained on the floor, watching intensely for him to show signs of being himself.

He continued to stand there, eyes shut tight, teeth clenched. He shook his head one last time before blinking wildly around, then down at Lenezma. What almost looked like terror spread through him.

He took a cautious step towards her, hands wanting to reach out for her. "Lenezma! Are you all right?"

"Yes…" she nodded nervously up at him as her hand gripped her slightly opened kimono, holding it together.

He softly slunk to his knees, still wanting to reach a hand out and help her. "Are you sure? I never should have lost my control!"

"No!" Lenezma replied quickly, sympathizing for him. "Really, I'm fine. I'm actually glad we did this… It will prepare me for when I need it,"

Sesshomaru nodded his head, understanding what she meant and eager to hear that she fully intended on mating with him, but at the same time, it almost hurt him to see the look of fear in her eyes as she stared at him, still holding her kimono tightly shut.

He could smell her fear in the air as well as her; not _Lenezma_ her, but a different part of her that he was unused to catching whiffs of. It, too, almost caused a pulsing in his chest; hell, it was one of the things that had made it hard for him to regain control.

He quickly got back to his feet and helped Lenezma stand, somehow feeling he could control the urges much easier now.

"You're sure you're all right?"

"Yes! I'm okay," she almost chuckled but stopped herself as one of the intense moments of her fear returned to her. "I'll be fine," she spoke again as she stood before Sesshomaru, still holding her kimono shut. Even if she were to release it, it would not reveal anything except maybe an inch more of her skin and some of her under garment, but it made her feel safer.

When neither spoke, Lenezma figured it best if she left.

"Well, good night Sesshomaru,"

"Good night," he nodded, still wanting to ask if she were all right and beg - well, plead anyway - for forgiveness.

She nodded calmly, her heart still beating wildly. Len turned quickly and exit his room. It was one of the few times she'd left him without hugging or kissing him goodnight since they'd been together; even during this hectic week, they always found the time to kiss goodnight.

Sesshomaru stared after her for a long while…

Lenezma slipped inside the girl's room softly, dressed in her night kimono as she tiptoed towards their bed. She stopped quickly as Kikka stirred awake.

"Leny?" she asked, rubbing one eye, squinting in the darkness, hoping she really was that big shadow by the door.

"Hi, Kikka," she whispered.

"How come you're so late?"

"I lost track of time. Sorry it took me so long…" she replied as she settled next to Kikka under the covers. "Come on, go back to sleep…"

Kikka, too tired to continue her questions anyway, rolled over, facing Rin as Lenezma lay beside her, wrapping her arms around Kikka as she fell back asleep – she had promised to sleep with them tonight.

Len, however, needed a few more minutes to fall asleep, constantly thinking about Sesshomaru and what she'd just experienced.

She was so confused about herself: she was so afraid of that maniacal energy that attacked her, and yet she was excited and enthralled by every move that the combination didn't seem plausible. Though she had indeed been allured by his enlivening vigor, thinking back on it now it seemed like a distant thought while her other half was stronger than ever.

Such a force truly frightened her, but time and time again, she reminded herself that it was Sesshomaru, and he was better than that… He would take great care with her, even when the time came…

Sesshomaru cursed himself for agreeing to let his instincts take over. He had barely any control over his body, only able to keep himself from forcing her to the ground, biting her and trying to stop when he was attempting to move further down her body. He, too, knew what would happen should his urges have been allowed to continue.

Hell, he knew it would take every last ounce of his will power just to stop himself if he _had_ bit her - assuming that would have been enough. As if he'd learned things simply by letting his urges take over for just a few minutes, he who knew many things, he knew what drawing blood while in such a state meant.

A part of him felt as if he'd always known, but had forgotten until tonight, that to bite was a sensual thing amongst demons, but it was only truly effective if between demons, for their bites pierced flesh. If it were towards a human, too much blood would spill and they'd die before the demon could even reach full capacity. With demons, the biting not only excited them physically, but when the scent of blood would reach their noses, it would drive them into a crazed frenzy, their lust for more blood matching their sexual lust.

He cursed himself one last time before walking back out onto the balcony. He looked up at the stars before returning his gaze back on his forest.

"I'm sorry..."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

"Come on, Leny!" Kikka called, zigzagging through the trees of the yard with Lenezma close behind.

"I'm going to get you!" Rin giggled, chasing both of them.

Kikka stopped for a breather, placing her hand securely against the trunk of one particular tree, safe at base. "Hurry!" she called to Lenezma, Rin at her heels.

"I'm not sure… if I can make it!" she called, panting as she ran for base.

Aras, the small wolf-pup, bounded along at Lenezma's feet, yipping as she ran alongside her master.

"Get her, Aras!" Rin suddenly called out.

To Lenezma's surprise, Aras jumped in the way of her feet, tripping her to the ground where Rin tagged her immediately.

"Tag!" Rin laughed before joining Kikka at the tree.

Len grumbled with a smile as she propped herself up on her elbows, tapping her fingers on the ground irritably as she grinned wickedly at Aras. The pup stood in front of her, tail wagging, obviously unaware she'd done anything wrong.

"Come here!" Len cried, reaching for her quickly but she slipped away, running to the girls where they held her, claiming her safe as well.

"Ah! Now this is no fair! You two have been corrupting my little Aras!" she smirked, standing with hands on her hips.

Aras again barked merrily, oblivious to the real reason everyone smiled and laughed.

Suddenly both Len and Aras's ears perked up, both sets of eyes staring at the main gates.

They slid open just slightly, Jaken sneaking inside and shutting the doors quietly before dashing to the house, waddling in his usual way, staff slung over his shoulder, as well as a strange satchel.

"It's Master Jaken!" Rin spoke as they watched him head into the mansion.

"Has he even been home lately?" Len asked. "I haven't seen him for a few days,"

"He's been hiding in his room a lot lately. He never seems to have time to play anymore…" Kikka mumbled.

"He hasn't been helping around the house… or even eating for that matter, if he _has_ been home."

"… Must be an imp thing…" said Kikka.

Len looked curiously at her before giggling, amused.

Lenezma spent most of the day outside with the girls before allowing them to help make dinner. "You need to learn to cook now while you're still young!"

As of late, the number of devils within the forest boundaries had grown considerably and Sesshomaru found his hands full since that night with Lenezma in his bedroom, almost to the point of not seeing any of his roommates.

He'd only been able to visit with Lenezma on a few occasions, once spending a good deal of time with lips connected within a dark and dense patch of trees, but seldom did he have a chance to look upon the girls amidst their play. Jaken hadn't been spotted in a week, either, but Sesshomaru knew his reasons.

Too hot to slave away under the bare sky in her attempted garden, Lenezma found time to go out and aid him, though she stayed closer to the manor to keep its residents safe and well guarded. When not on patrol, she stayed at Kikka and Rin's sides, keeping them entertained as best she could.

It was getting late in the evening though, and Rin and Kikka had just finished up a game of Issen: 3-2. They asked Lenezma to play, but she only agreed to one game, wanting to take a quick bath before bed.

By the time she'd entered the bathhouse, both girls were in their rooms, settling down for bed. When she emerged, clean and refreshed, she entered her room softly, sitting at the window sill, gazing out at the dark, moonless night. She found that the only upside to the new moon was that she could look effortlessly upon the bright, twinkling stars as they shined beautifully amidst the magnificent blend of the turquoise, violet, navy, and black background, all mixed together so mesmerizing that no one could duplicate such a sight if they tried.

She turned quickly to the door, distracted by a strange scratching just beyond her room before a soft rapping came on her door. She stared curiously as she stood.

Lenezma opened the door gently, gazing down to find Jaken standing there, surprisingly not holding that staff of his. Instead, it looked like he was holding some light gray cloth.

"Oh, hello, Jaken," she greeted.

"Evening, Lenezma," he replied, coughing to clear his throat. "Ahem, these are for you!"

Lenezma reached down and took the cloth from him. "What is this?"

"It's a new outfit for you. It should make fighting and traveling much easier for you,"

"Oh? Well, thank you very much!" she smiled. "Is this why you've been absent lately?"

"Eh, sorry. It took longer than expected to put most of that together," Jaken muttered, exposing his little hands covered in scratches, pinpricks, and band aids.

Len's smile broadened: "Jaken! That's so sweet! Thank you! Well, since you've been making this for me all this time, I won't count the cleaning against you. Just be sure you help cook tomorrow!"

"I will," he replied, not actually paying attention as the throbbing in his fingers grew painfully. "Good night, Lenezma!"

"Goodnight, Jaken!" she smiled, planting a quick kiss on his the top of his head before closing the door, leaving the little imp stunned before his hasty ramblings could be heard through the door.

Without unfolding it, she gazed upon the cloth fondly, knowing that Sesshomaru had a hand in this somehow. The bulk of it was light gray with tiny blue wisps traveling over the fabric; the accompanying sash was almost navy in color with sparse, white petals dancing across.

Underneath the kimono, however, Len found a different garment that she could not figure out. It was folded like a sash, but much too large to be one. Curious, she let the cloth unravel to find the most peculiar bit of black clothing, strangely enough resembling pants, and yet…

"Hmm… I guess I'll just have to try it on sometime and figure it out then … It definitely enhances my suspicion that Sesshomaru is involved, though," she smiled, knowing only he would be familiar with her size based on all of their encounters.

Folding them up again, she set them gently in her large chest, rearranging some of the articles of clothing when she stopped for a second, eyeing one of the other garments, trying to remember which of her kimonos was purple…

It was probably an hour or two later, well into the night when all were asleep, when Sesshomaru suddenly popped up in Lenezma's open window.

He sat on the sill, silent as he watched Lenezma sleep, occasionally glancing out at his dark forest…

"Mmm… Sesshomaru?" Len mumbled, blinking her eyes open. She glanced around the room, the Lord nowhere to be found. _That's strange… I could have sworn I heard his voice … And I definitely smell him, but… Oh well, must have dreamt it…_

Lenezma lay her head down again, returning to sleep, while outside, Sesshomaru leaped gracefully over the gate walls, returning to the darkness.

_"Goodnight, my Lenezma."_

* * *

Arasu = to lay waste (Aras was my original name for her, and 'arasu' was perfect, but I left out the 'u' just the same. But if you want to pronounce it with the 'u', be my guest.)


	24. Chapter 24

**Twenty-Four**

Upon the following night, all was still throughout the house. The evening was young and the pouring rain made it miserable to hunt in. Having no desire to drench himself over demons that were surely trying to escape the storm as well, Sesshomaru remained indoors, relaxing on his bed with one leg stretched and the other propped, supporting an arm while the other supported him.

The fluffy lay draped across the bedspread, curving around his left side freely. The room was dark except for the feint light of a few candles on the opposite side of the room, noticeable only when lightning did not strike.

With a clear head and drifting consciousness, Sesshomaru had slipped into a sort of lull, not really dozing but not awake either, caught in the center where his eyes drooped while his mind wandered…

~/\-\/-/\~

During the day, Jaken had resumed the roll of teacher to the girls, giving them a few lessons right after breakfast before joining Sesshomaru on a patrol in the southern areas.

The imp had been assaulted by his lord several times, like usual. Jaken could not help his big mouth sometimes, and his bad habit of thinking aloud was the reason behind at least two of the reprimands. Much to his dismay, it was talk over Lenezma that often caused the beatings, his mouth finally sealing itself shut when Sesshomaru glared powerfully at the small toad: "That's enough, Jaken. I don't wish to hear any more about her from you, understand?"

Of course he obeyed, but the dark look he had received caused the imp to keep a further distance between himself and the lord. Of course he could not understand why Sesshomaru scolded him, unaware of the relationship they'd formed, but his suspicions were certainly growing.

Believe it or not, some of Jaken's comments about the feline were actually meant to test the dog demon's reactions.

He had caught signs here and there, not wanting to believe them, but certainly considering them more and more with time.

One of the main hints for him lie in the night that Lenezma went berserk.

Sesshomaru had handled her with incredible tenderness, carrying her with a gentle air even when simply removing her from the bathtub. He openly volunteered his bed when he could have just as easily put her down in the same room as the girls. Sure, his excuse made sense, but… why?

Lenezma had fallen for the demon lord, he was sure of it! He had expressed this notion to Sesshomaru on numerous occasions! And yet he still allowed it! What would this do to her? Surely she would only think he cares for her as well!

But… did he?

His words, his touch… all seemed to be in favor of the feline. Jaken didn't want to believe it, wanting to hold on to the old Sesshomaru, the half-breed hating, killing machine that he once knew and loved! What would happen if Sesshomaru took her as his mate?

Jaken nearly cried when such disheartening thoughts first crossed his mind.

He had worked hard to steer Len off the path, telling her horrible truths to keep her at bay – telling Sesshomaru of his actions and insisting he follow the same path.

Sesshomaru had claimed he would deal with the issue, but was anything ever done?

So today, given yet another chance to speak his concerns with the great demon lord and hopefully persuade him to tell her off once and for all, he brought it up, rambling on and on until finally ending with that glare.

Suddenly Sesshomaru stopped as they approached a clearing. Jaken stopped curiously, wondering why the lord came to a halt… and then he heard it: he could hear laughter in the distance.

Following his lead, Jaken walked beside Sesshomaru until reaching the edge of the tree line, finding a large barren land spread out before them. Near the center were four familiar figures: Ah-Un, Rin, Kikka, and Lenezma.

Ah-Un was lying down peacefully, watching over the females as Lenezma seemed to be showing the two young girls how to till the earth and plant seeds. Smiles and laughter could be sensed even from this distance.

Jaken stared for a few seconds, watching the spectacle oddly before gazing up at his lord, finding his piercing yellow eyes stuck on the scene before them.

"Lenezma is none of your concern, Jaken," Sesshomaru spoke up suddenly with a firm tone of voice. "I will deal with whatever may come. Do not interfere."

Jaken gasped silently as the dog demon spoke, watching him turn away and continue on in a different direction without another word.

Was that confirmation? Did his words prove that he had formed some kind of attachment to the feline?

_I have long felt that Lenezma had feelings for Lord Sesshomaru, but has he truly fallen for her as well? It's true, he's been acting weird lately, and neither are home very often… They couldn't possibly be meeting up out in the forest every day, could they? _

_Oh, Lord Sesshomaru! How could you? Lenezma is not good enough! You deserve better, a full blooded canine like yourself! Only then can you bear a respectable and rightful heir to your throne! What kind of heir could Lenezma possibly offer but a disgraceful multi-breed, one of human blood no less? _

_I feel compelled to speak out against this before it develops any more, but Lord Sesshomaru would surely punish me severely! _

_Oh… please… Please don't give in, my Lord! If you should indeed become weakened by the presence of a woman, overcome this infatuation and discard her! Resist!_

But Sesshomaru had no desire to do such things.

Like Jaken, he did not think it possible when it first occurred to him. He had tried fighting it, convinced himself over and over that he could do better, that he should hate her, but the more he resisted the more pain it caused him.

By giving in to his desires, he came to terms with these feelings and discovered the truth within him. He had found her, trained her, bonded with her, and now longed for her. Her blood and what kind of heir she could provide was of no consequence to him – as long as he could have her, nothing else mattered.

Sesshomaru and Jaken continued to patrol for a majority of the day, silence dominating their time, while Kikka and Rin remained with Lenezma, learning more and more about the art of gardening while getting to help her with this dead earth, just glad to spend time with her again.

Ah-Un was also happy just to accompany them.

He had always been the mode of transportation for the girls when running around with Jaken, and came out with Lenezma once in a while, but was still left alone in the yard for the most part.

He did not mind it at times, being much like a horse in the fact that you can leave him and he'll be content to feed and sleep in the shade of trees for long periods of time, but like most animals, bears a need for companionship just the same.

For the girls, it was time with Leny that they missed the most. Though Jaken could keep them busy for a while and Ah-Un and Aras played with them quite often, they missed their big sister and the joy she brought to their world.

~/\-\/-/\~

_Lenezma means so much to them_, Sesshomaru considered as he thought about her idly, still in a lull before feeling his chest tighten as he thought about his own attachment to the feline.

His head jerked awake at a single rap upon his door, staring at it long and hard, about to summon the visitor when it opened on its own, Lenezma poking her head in childishly. Sesshomaru relaxed yet again as he watched Len enter and shut the door behind her silently, slinking over to the bedside inaudibly with that innocent smile of hers.

"Good evening," she called merrily as she approached, settling down at the foot of the bed, her body turned towards the balcony doors while her eyes met his.

Sesshomaru merely nodded, watching her intently without question, but slightly curious just the same.

"So what are you doing in here? Just lazing about?"

"There's no need to go out," he replied briefly, never removing his eyes from hers even as thunder rolled overhead in tune with a great flash of lightning.

"I guess not, but it can be fun to just run around in the rain… I bet you've never done that before, have you?"

"For the pleasure of it? No."

"Hmph, you're so dull!" she smiled. "What kind of a childhood did you have, anyway? Never playing in the dirt or rain, probably no neighboring children to play games with… It's kind of sad, you know?"

"Save your pity; some of my younger years were far better than later ones."

Len stared for a moment as he defended his past rather sternly. "I don't pity you, Sesshomaru. I just… I mean, compared to Rin and Kikka, and even some of my earliest years, it just seems like you've missed out on some of the simplest pleasures that life can offer. I'm sorry if I offended you in some way, that's just how it seems to me…"

"… It is not always that easy, I'm afraid."

Lenezma was taken aback, unable to understand this fierceness that he displayed, hurt by his words. He had not said or done anything even remotely cruel to her ever since their last argument over the flowers in the yard.

Her eyes slowly dropped and turned towards the wall, unable to meet his gaze after that sting.

His fingers twitched as she looked away from him, seeing the hurtful expression and quickly realizing that she had taken it the wrong way; he had not denounced her apology, he merely meant that life was not always so giving and carefree as she made it seem.

Lenezma had seen a dark side of the world in her short lifetime, knew it existed, but refused to linger on it as she did her best to forget and be happy in her new home. She had a carefree childhood that he did not experience; his youngest years were spent following his parent's examples, which were anything but fun and untroubled.

And instead of looking forward to a brighter future - the only hope that had kept Lenezma sane at the brothel - Sesshomaru had never considered tomorrow to be anything more than another day. Whether it was their age difference or the recent lack of anything exciting that caused such different patterns of thought was anyone's guess.

"Forget it… it is of no importance to me," he spoke up with an inaudible sigh, refusing to linger on such trivial matters, hoping to put her at ease.

But Len was still quiet, unsure what to think at this point.

Both were silent as they listened to the rain's peaceful ambience, still wondering what they could say to the other, to warm up the coldness between them.

"Why did you come?" Sesshomaru finally asked, bringing her eyes back to his.

"I don't know," she shrugged innocently, "Why not?"

Of course Sesshomaru gave no answer, merely gazing into her warm sapphires fondly.

She smirked, giving him a skeptical look: "What's the matter? Not used to having a _girl_ in your room?" she teased playfully, Sesshomaru just glad to have pulled her out of that eerie depression.

"You were here just the other night," he reminded her without going into the details. "Not to mention you have spent an entire night in my bed before," he added slyly, Lenezma positive she caught a humorous glint in his eyes.

"Ah, but against my will!" she replied furtively; the night she had lost her mind and was drugged into sleep. It was not her fault she burned a hole in her mattress nor her choice to sleep in his room, Sesshomaru volunteering his bed most likely out of more personal reasons.

"Then when will you of your own volition?"

Len was stunned by his words and how easily they flowed from his lips. His gaze did not waver as he continued to watch her fondly, anxiously awaiting her answer, though he had a good feeling she would merely tease him in the end.

With a sly grin, she shifted her weight and was suddenly crawling towards him on all four with an overwhelmingly seductive air about her, her cerulean eyes only amplifying the power she had over him.

Sesshomaru held his breath as she came closer, watching with great anticipation as she slipped between his legs, her hands coming down on each side of his waist, one leg resting over his while the other remained stretched. With her body stretched and hovering over his, her head soon came within reach; before allowing her enough time to be witty and tease him further, he pressed his lips against hers with a quite softness, every restraint in his body working overtime to prevent even the slightest hint of his darker hunger from slipping. Lenezma apparently did not dwell on the previous nights in fear, but after watching such a display, he could not bear to lose her anytime soon.

Lenezma responded warmly to his impatient kiss, smiling, knowing that he had indeed prevented her from 'torturing' him further.

She could feel his free hand gliding along her side as they continued to kiss ardently, the pressure on her body increasing as his hand tried pulling her down. At the same time, she was forced to lower if she was to keep locked lips with the white demon, his torso slowly beginning to fall back onto his elbow and finally onto his back, both hands now grasping her thin waist powerfully as she slowly descended on top of him.

And for the first time since they'd been brought together, Lenezma found herself truly in control.

She could tease and seduce him all day long, but Sesshomaru always held the upper hand, always dominated over her in some way, shape, or form. But not this time; this time, Sesshomaru actually found himself letting her do as she pleased, almost surprised that she would take the initiative to do to him what he'd been doing to her for weeks.

With Sesshomaru flat on his back, his hands still grasping her lower ribcage, Lenezma's body did not completely rest over his, remaining just an inch or two away, her breasts just out of reach in respect to his pectorals.

Her elbows were still raised off the ground, keeping her shoulders just high enough to allow the distance from their chests, and to keep Sesshomaru at her mercy, not always within reach of her lips, only whenever she allowed it.

Down south, Lenezma's pelvis was not far at all from his, one leg resting on the outside while the other lingered in the center, cascading up and down his other leg provocatively. A faint growl crawled up his throat as he reached for her and was yet again denied, his hands slowly trying to force her closer, but her arms remained strong in keeping the distance. It was almost as if giving her this power made her realize just how weak he really was, at the mercy of her advances; sweet revenge.

Despite the growing tension, the overall mood was still calm; his claws clung to her tightly, but their kisses and overall body movements were still slow and serene, a quiet passion that was slowly unfolding itself.

Sesshomaru's claws began to glide up along her spine as she suddenly lowered herself, her abdomen coming to rest upon his; her elbows still refused to touch ground though, and with what little elevation remained between them Lenezma made a swift move and went for the place that Sesshomaru had always taken sweet pleasure in:

Sesshomaru was sure his heart skipped a beat as he felt her hot breath on his neck, his fingers twitching with every teasing graze she made between her lips and his flesh.

He felt the muscles in his legs tighten up as she lowered towards the nape of his neck, still blowing hot breath and teasing him with her cursed lips. His entire chest tightened as he suppressed another growl with what little strength he had left, all of his energy fighting to restrain the beast inside of him from simply rolling her over and taking control once and for all.

In one way, he could not bear to do so without her _full_ consent, but it felt like if he interrupted her to get that permission, it would kill almost everything that had just built up. In another way, he didn't want to stop her; he had never felt this riled up before, forced into this helpless position – a pawn in her sick, twisted game – and he was enjoying every minute of it.

For a moment, Sesshomaru had lost himself – not to his instincts, but simply to the euphoria of finally feeling her full embrace of lips on flesh, almost positive a shiver might have coursed down his spine upon impact.

He had thought it before, and came to quickly realize yet again that he had been rubbing off some of his qualities onto her: first it was that hateful, defiant glare – the glare that had triggered it all, no less – and now it was the way that her lips trailed over the sensitive skin of his neck.

Cascading down and around the collar bone, rounding back up to the jaw and slipping over to the other side in order to make a full circle, her lips dancing across his soft skin, her tongue darting in and out to trail across unbearably.

His grip flinched yet again as he suddenly felt her breath on his ear, feeling her nose it ever so faintly before going to suck at the nape of his neck, actually playing at the soft skin that connected his neck to his shoulders with her teeth, nipping at it ever so slightly.

That was the last straw.

Sesshomaru could feel himself losing more and more control with every taunting move she made, unsure at this point what little innocent thing might make him snap.

"Lenezma…" he called through hoarse breath, hardly able to contain himself. "You're treading dangerous waters," he warned with as firm a voice as he could muster.

His heart quivered as she blew out on his neck yet again as she rose up just enough to meet eyes with him, her elbows finally touching the ground.

And with one last, seductive gaze into his eyes, she smirked with the knowledge of everything she had done to him, driving him up a wall, pushing him against it, and enjoying every second of it. Now he knew what it was like, what he had put her through on more than one occasion.

Suddenly she leaned into him once more, still meeting his eyes furtively; "Don't worry…" she whispered onto his lips where, for the last time, she teased him into a false kiss. When his eyes revealed his irritation, her grin only broadened: "… I know my limits…"

And she leaned in, pressing her lips against his tightly, releasing the passion that still bound them to this moment for several extra seconds, Lenezma letting the rest of it out, Sesshomaru getting in some of his revenge – _some._ That last kiss couldn't possibly make up for the torture she had put him through – one way or another, he intended to make her pay.

With parted lips, Lenezma let herself fall to his side. With half a stretch, she curled up against him fondly, resting her head upon his shoulder where her arm then reached across his chest and grabbed his kimono affectionately. One leg remained partially draped over his, while Sesshomaru's arm wrapped around her back, massaging it tenderly as she snuggled into him closer.

"I think tonight would be a good time to stay in…" she whispered softly as she felt his fingers play lightly at her hair.

His head angled towards her, chin just out of reach of her scalp. "As long as it is you who desires this…" he replied softly, gazing upon her striped hair, feeling all senses gradually return to normal.

Without a single word spoken, both demons closed their eyes to enjoy the sweet sound of rain and the distant sounds of thunder rolling off into the distance as Lenezma continued to snuggle in, Sesshomaru's powerful arms keeping her ever close…

* * *

-Twitch, twitch-

Holy crap we're down to the last chapter! Just make sure you have plenty of time to read, it's my longest one by far.


	25. Chapter 25

This is it! Holy crap it's here! The last chapter of "Two Demons of the Western Plains!" I can't believe its here! (seriously, I wasn't sure if I'd even put this story out to the public!) I want to thank everyone for reading and hope this last post will make you all want to kill me for the sequel.

So here it is! Chapter…

* * *

**Twenty-Five**

What seemed like déjà vu came all too quickly for the great dog demon.

Resting peacefully in his chambers, a comfortable pillow beneath his head, his boa draped around him in a semi-circle… all would have been all right if not for the woman in his arms, whose grip on his shirt had not faltered even in the depths of sleep. All would have been great if not for morning.

Damn his internal senses. Damn the sun. Damn the misery he felt every time he thought about waking her up.

And so, instead, he did nothing.

Though he knew it would not last, he felt it could at least wait, even if only for a bit. For as long as his body would allow, he would stay with her, he would remain in bed with his arms wrapped around her and enjoy every passing moment, content to do nothing but hold her in the bliss of sleep and watch her as she dreamed.

Nearly half an hour had passed since Sesshomaru first awoke, almost drifting back off had it not been for those blasted morning birds and all their twitter-twittering. It was time, he hated to admit, for the day to begin. After raining all night, there were sure to be quite a few demons out and about, scavenging for food.

And with every approaching second, all the way until Lenezma's eyes blinked open, it tore at his heart to wake her.

"Mmm… is it that time already?" she blinked curiously as she tried to look around, trying her best not to actually release him as she did so. He didn't answer, quite aware that she had no desire to see him leave either, to separate from him after such a passionate night. What almost hurt just as bad was the slight willingness to let him go; she knew how much this place meant to him and to what means he protected it – and he was grateful for that understanding, really – but still found it so hard to break apart from her. If only she fought a little harder, maybe it would have helped…

"Don't worry," she whispered softly with a faint smile, as if sensing his reluctance, "there's always tonight," she reminded him with a pure and genuine smile, as if simply spending the evening together was all that mattered.

Before she let him go, however, she heaved herself back up onto his chest where she leaned in for a kiss, receiving more than she had bargained for, but no less than what she wanted.

As if inspired by her words, Sesshomaru pulled her in close and embraced her powerfully, eventually flipping her over onto her back. His arms were wrapped around her torso, his lips ravaging her neck shortly before returning to her lips, her arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close.

Their burst of passion did not last long, but certainly caused a powerful spark to course through them, to anxiously await the coming night when they could again hold each other tightly in their embrace, to sleep in one another's arms…

"You'd better get going," Lenezma whispered softly in his ears, trying to hide her true emotions, "before the desire to keep you here gets any worse…" Her voice trembled under the power of her own heart, unable to allow her to say such a thing without revealing the feelings she bore for him.

Sesshomaru stared into her eyes intensely after such words, desiring to stay with her more than before… But she was right. If he had any hope of stepping outside, it would have to be soon.

Without a word, Sesshomaru's hand grazed her cheek subtly, her body reacting to its tender warmth; he leaned in easily, kissing her softly with a quiet passion that only made her heart ache even more.

As he backed away, he slowly pushed himself to a stand, trying his best not to linger on these thoughts any longer.

With a gentle hand, Sesshomaru pulled Len up to her feet where, to both of their dismay, they did not meet lips, but greatly desired to. Using what will power was left in them, they backed away from one another, doing their best not to meet eyes for too long.

"So, where are you off to today?" Len spoke up after a bit, still hesitant to look directly into his golden eyes.

"I'll take care of any nuisances around here first. There are some paths in the far northeast that I have not checked in a while, so I'll head that way near sun high."

"I see… Then maybe I'll join you later?"

Sesshomaru nodded peacefully, "I'd like that."

With a curt smile and nod of the head, Len forced herself to the door. "Well… take care," she called over her shoulder, barely meeting his eyes for a painful second before opening the door and stepping out, shutting it quietly behind her.

Sesshomaru watched her go with a similar sense of agony.

In a neat and orderly fashion, Sesshomaru changed into his usual ensemble, but this time it was a different set of clothes. Today, he wore a misty gray shirt and pants, the sleeve and leg ends dyed a rich navy blue. Following came his armor, tying it around his waist with a navy sash, short, pale orange streaks stretching across its length, giving the outfit it's only bit of standout color. Next came his boots, swords, and finally, the white mass of fluff that had been left on the bed with him all night.

He wrapped it around his arm carefully, smoothing the fur gently as he headed for the balcony door, able to detect some of Lenezma's scent in its fibers…

Sesshomaru pushed those thoughts away before heading out and, as explained to Len, spent the next few hours taking care of any pests that came too close to the mansion before making his way out east.

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

The day grew hotter as the sun rose higher, the humidity after last night's rain quite miserable, but still the dog demon hardly broke a sweating despite his heavy equipment and the boa around his shoulder. He had always felt more adapt to the cooler weather, but never really had any problem with the hot weather, unlike his mother.

Summer was always unbearable for her, and though she had always seemed in a better mood in winter, she preferred the spring and fall seasons when the temperature was at neither extreme.

As for his father, he wasn't bothered by any of it, really. From what he could remember, it was probably spring and summer that the dog general had preferred, the most active times of the year for all life forms, but also looked forward to every snowfall, when they could run around and play in the white fluff that covered the grounds so thickly.

In fact, some of Sesshomaru better childhood memories came with the snow; it was where he and his parents would run around and 'play,' where he had been taught how to hunt and track down other creatures.

And suddenly a different kind of thought popped up in his idle mind: winter with Lenezma.

This warm weather is what allowed her precious plants to grow and bloom – what would happen when the frosts came and there were no plants to tend to? If she was so keen to run and play in the rain, surely she did so with snow as well. What could they do? They could run through the drifts, she would surely start a snowball fight and make 'snow angels'… and while she would lie in the snow, he would join her, they would sink further into the white powder and he would remind her of how much she meant to him.

It felt so strange… to rely on someone so strongly…

Since his adolescent years, Sesshomaru had not relied on anyone. His mother and Father protected and raised him from infancy, teaching him to take care of himself for when he decided to leave their shadows. Though there were occasions when he called on them for some form of support, it was nothing like what he felt now.

His connection to Lenezma was so much stronger, almost clingy in the sense that if he could, he would not let her go; would keep her in reach at all times. Since those early years under his parents, he had not truly _needed_ anyone like he did Len, as if seeing her at the end of the day was all that mattered, to hold her, to be with her…

And it was at that point that Sesshomaru realized something. After centuries of life, the days set before him almost endlessly with little difference between the previous and next, he finally found himself anxious, looking forward to the passing of days, the prospect of seeing and being with Lenezma became the light at the end of the tunnel. He could not wait until tonight to be with her again, or tomorrow night, or any other night that followed…

Slowly he came to a stop in the middle of the path, lost in his thoughts and this new revelation with a fondness he could not understand and yet didn't mind. She was all that mattered.

His eyes opened slowly before turning his head to the left and gazing through the trees silently. He could sense something drawing closer, an unusual presence that almost felt familiar and yet could not describe the sensation.

Come to think of it, where was he? How had he come this way? Had he really been so wrapped up in his obsession that his body moved of its own accord, heading straight for this strange presence out of instinct?

Nonetheless, Sesshomaru moved towards it. No matter how it happened or what this peculiar sense was, he would investigate and settle the matter once and for all.

He stalked through the trees silently, all senses alert in seeking out this presence, searching for any sign of trespassers.

Not even five minutes later, his prey had been located.

Coming from the north along an old, overgrown path, came two men, heading towards the southeast and away from the Western Plains, it would seem.

Hidden in the shadows, upwind of these strangers, Sesshomaru went unnoticed, free to watch them as long as he wished. Even from this distance, he could hear them conversing freely, unafraid that someone or something else might hear them.

"… see Tenkei before we left? I thought she was going to burst into tears!" he caught a few of their words as they came within hearing range.

"Well, she's still very young. ... I still can't get over how much she resembles her mother though," the other replied, a deeper, gruffer voice, most likely older than his companion.

The hidden canine stared as they came into clear view, observing them from afar as their bodily features and scents soon reached his senses: both were demons with a human guise, wearing rather decent clothing; they were not peasants by any means, but nor were they high class enough for some of the richer clothing that could be found in Sesshomaru's mansion.

"I noticed that too, but I still think she's going to turn out more like Hikumo than Gecchouseki," the younger one commented, glancing at his companion with his dark green eyes. His skin was not as dark as his friend's, but not far from it; his hair, Sesshomaru noticed, was quite unusual though. Instead of the traditional black, like his friend, his hair was loose and shoulder length, a wild and unkempt mess of reddish-brown with random splotches of black, almost like spots.

"Well, I guess that won't be too bad. He's a pretty good guy for his kind!" the darker demon replied, his long black hair tied back in a high tail swaying as he turned to smile at the other, his deep blue eyes flashing with a light that somehow seemed familiar to Sesshomaru. To add to the overall effect, coming from a hole in the pants was a long black tail, waving innocently behind them as they walked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he said the same about us," retorted his young friend, causing both to chuckle for a moment before coming to a dead halt, a heavy silence befalling them.

Slowly, they began to turn around, finding the gray and blue Sesshomaru standing on the road from whence they just came, staring back as if he'd been there for several minutes.

He stared long and hard, waiting for any movements, wondering how he should handle them.

The one with the gruff voice did indeed appear older, but the resemblance between them was so strong that it could only mean they were father and son.

They were undoubtedly felines, both bearing slit irises and that unmistakable smell. What confused him, however, was a third scent that he couldn't quite decipher, smelling it as if it were a perfume, and yet sensing it as part of them. Again, he found himself somehow drawn to this scent – had he encountered these two before? There was certainly something familiar, but…

Sesshomaru was silent and unmoving.

The older one sniffed at the air.

"Aw, you must be the master of this forest. Good day," he spoke politely as he turned to face the gray demon, bowing respectively, his son following his lead. "You've got a nice forest here."

Sesshomaru continued to stare, arms to his sides, unmoving.

"I see," said the young one, narrowing his eyes. "We are merely passing through. We shall be out of your lands within the hour,"

"You better hope you get out before then."

"Hmm, I see. Come on, do as he says," the old one suggested, lightly patting the son's arm before turning to keep walking; the young one stared a moment longer before doing the same.

As they walked, Sesshomaru stood there, still, debating on whether he should kill them here and now or actually let them go. His eyes narrowed faintly: _Damn, I'm growing soft... This shall be the last one._

But just as he was ready to turn away himself, intent on heading back a little ways so as to meet up with Lenezma, the two demons quickly spun on their heels and dove at him, clawed hands reaching out to strike.

Sesshomaru dodged both of their assaults, jumping back-and-forth, avoiding slash after slash. Hating the feeling like he was running away, he unleashed his venomous whip, heading straight for the old one.

His blue eyes grew large just before he threw up his arms in defense and flames burst forth, protecting him against the whip.

Sesshomaru glared, turning just in time to see the young one throw his hand out, also shooting fire.

He leapt to the side, avoiding his assault as both cats joined each other. Th_ey can both use fire… Perhaps that is the extra scent in the air - one is mixed breed. But…_

Before Sesshomaru could finish his thoughts, his eyes watched as the younger one began building up his flames. He tensed, ready to move just as he saw the fire shoot from his hands.

Suddenly, at the last minute, the sound of rushing footsteps echoed in his ears just before he was tackled to the ground roughly, the attacker remaining at his side on the ground as the man's fire blast flew overhead… as well as another? _Where did that second fire blast come from? It wasn't either of them – there must be another! _He realized quickly, a little more alarmed at the fact that had he dodged the known blast as planned, the second assault most likely would have hit him.

His golden eyes darted away to look down at the person who'd tackled him, but all he could see was lavender clothing and brown hair with silver streaks. _Lenezma…_ His heart reacted when he realized it was her.

There was a small shield around them, protecting them from enemy fire - obviously Len once again protecting him. He wasn't used to this at all…

When the flames stopped, it was Lenezma who made the first move.

She flung out her hand, her own fiery whip lashing out, wrapping around the known attacker's ankles tightly, dropping swiftly at her quick jerk.

With his fall, she jumped to her feet, throwing a wall of fire at the older man before he could react, knocking him back into a tree.

"Watch it!" Sesshomaru growled, back on his feet, standing beside her protectively as flames began jumping out at them once again.

With a quick draw of the Tokijin, blue lightning exploded through the trees, its power disrupting the flames easily, but more sprang up suddenly on their other side. Before it could hit, Lenezma's fiery shield saved them once again, but it was taking a lot of her strength to hold off the attack, the flames stronger than her own.

Sesshomaru quickly glanced over at the younger feline, finding him back on his feet and ready to go another round. Without an instant's hesitation, he sheathed Tokijin as he rushed forward, grabbing the demon by the neck and slammed him into a tree.

"Enough of this!" Sesshomaru shouted as his victim made contact with the tree, gasping painfully. "Stop this or his life is over!"

Almost immediately, the mystery person called off their attack against Lenezma, the feline finally able to relax before glaring through the trees:

"Show yourself!" Len commanded.

Both watched intently as the source of the fire came out of hiding; it was a woman, surrounded by a red aura. She almost appeared human, but her fiery red and yellow hair gave away that secret, her eyes glowing like hot coals, but she was not of feline origins like the other two, but a fire spirit.

For a split moment, Lenezma was painfully reminded of her grandmother.

The man struggled against Sesshomaru's claws; he grabbed his wrist, flames erupting from his finger tips, but he quickly stopped for two reasons: Sesshomaru's grip tightened immensely when he tried, and Lenezma was using her powers to call his flames to her, protecting Sesshomaru as much as possible.

All three of the trespassers blinked at this feat – but how could she have that kind of power? Only fire elementals bore that ability!

Lenezma stood not far behind Sesshomaru with a clear view of all three of their 'kind guests,' her eyes glancing between them almost curiously. Her eyes squinted as she looked upon each of them in turn, something about them causing an uneasiness to overwhelm her. And as they looked back, they too, felt something…

Looking to Sesshomaru for some possible solution, her eyes suddenly became glued upon the figure that was pinned to the tree. His green eyes glared wickedly at Sesshomaru, struggling to breathe and somehow fight against this beast without his assistance interfering. It was at this point when the feline glanced over and got his first good look at Lenezma, and became instantly curious of the strange stare she was giving him.

"Sesshomaru, stop!" she suddenly screamed.

All turned to stare at her in surprise, finding her cerulean eyes large with both fear and shock.

"Sesshomaru…?" the woman muttered under her breath, a new surge of fear running through them.

"Please! Let him go!" she screamed again, the urgency in her voice growing.

Sesshomaru eyed her curiously, searching for an explanation, but her eyes were fixed solely upon his victim's, gazing with a desperate fear that he had not seen from her before. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew something was wrong if she was begging for him to release this man. If he could trust Lenezma with his life, he could trust her now.

The man dropped like a rock, immediately gasping for air after just putting his neck through a pinch. Sesshomaru stood nearby, easily within distance to land a fatal blow to the man should he try anything; in the meantime, he waited on Lenezma, waiting for her to explain why she stopped him.

Slowly, she advanced towards him as if in a daze, walking and breathing shakily as she approached the man, still sitting at the base of the tree, coughing slightly.

The demon watched her approach, confused by her behavior. What did she want? To kill him herself? But that thought vanished when she suddenly dropped to her knees, staring eye-to-eye. This woman… who was she? She looked like…

The other man and woman exchanged nervous glances, confused by this strange woman.

That's when one simple word slipped out of her mouth, every one of them catching it:

"… Father?"

Every eye opened wide, every mouth dropped (except Sesshomaru's). _Father?_

The man gasped at her words, his heart flinching in both shock and pain. A horrible old wound scorched his insides, one that had not perturbed him like this in some years. In an instant, he hated this woman for reminding him of this injury, but at the same time, his eyes studied her appearance.

The man stared at her carefully, noting the peculiar hair color, her fluffy ears, and her sharp sapphire eyes that instantly reminded him of his father just feet away. A thought crept into his head, slowly and ever so painfully. No, it couldn't be! … Could it? He greatly doubted it, and yet he felt compelled to ask, driven by a lost hope he thought had died years before… "Lenezma?"

His companions' shock grew, both staring at the girl, their hearts racing as they, too, began to recognize the familiarity in her, the details that they had failed to notice before now standing out with obvious clarity.

To hear him speak her name brought tears to her eyes as a taut smile overcame her: "Father!" she suddenly exclaimed, lunging forth to hug him tightly, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck desperately as she cried onto his shoulders.

Sesshomaru and the others watched in apparent shock as she did so, the man simply sitting there, staring off in vacant sadness before slowly allowing his arms to embrace her back; the situation was starting to hit home more and more as the seconds passed, and before long he was clinging to her just as tightly.

"I… I don't believe it…" the older feline spoke up, still staring with wide eyes as the two hugged tearfully, his own heart twisting in agony.

"But…" the fire spirit began to mutter, "Suzuran said… I mean, we saw it…" she stuttered hopelessly, glancing over to the feline for help, but he provided none, lost to these thoughts as well.

Sesshomaru could hear them all, listening in hopes of an explanation, but it was obvious that even they did not know. Was this really her family? Lenezma claimed her father had passed away many years ago. Her grandparents were one thing, but how was her father still alive? And why was it that all of them were stunned to find _her_ alive?

None of them seemed to know what was actually happening here. Sesshomaru had considered the man's affection to be a trick, but quickly realized that the feline had called her by her name – Sesshomaru never said it aloud.

"Lenezma…" was all the feline could say as his tears were soaked up by her kimono, his fingers stroking her hair, as if still trying to prove to himself that this was real and not some fantasy, not a reoccurring dream that had haunted him since he lost her.

Slowly she pushed herself away, sitting on her knees as she stared into his green cat eyes, both still grasping the other with their hands. "Is this real? Is it really you?" she mumbled helplessly, simply wanting to hear the words from his own mouth.

And as he stared back, he saw in her a vision that tortured his heart, that caused it to cry out in anguish… But it was an image that only proved who she was. "I… I think it is…" he replied slowly with a cracked voice.

Len choked on her tears as her smile brightened, a hand wiping away at her tears as she slowly began to stand, pulling him up with her.

"Lenezma?"

She turned to find the older feline and fire spirit standing there, close now with heart-broken gazes.

Her tears returned in an instant before moving to embrace them as well, crying out "Grandfather" and "Grandmother" in turn.

The fire spirit slowly backed up in order to look at Len clearer, seeing, like Mikeneko, Hanshou's eyes and the resemblance to Len's mother.

She carefully took her thumb and wiped away a tear from Len's eye, a wisp of steam rising up at the connection. And as she did so, she could not help but smile and embrace her yet again with long lost love: "Oh! It _is_ you!" she cried, clinging to the young woman tightly, but despite this, she shot the most unusual gaze towards Sesshomaru, watching, judging...

Sesshomaru did not miss her suspicious eyes.

Somewhere amidst all the hugs and tears, Lenezma heard fading footsteps and turned quickly to find Sesshomaru with his back on them, attempting to sneak away. This was no place for him - Lenezma's family was alive and here, they'd finally found each other… it was no place for him, especially after he'd just attempted to kill them.

"Sesshomaru, wait!"

He hated himself for actually stopping, forcing himself to look upon her as she approached, but only out of the desire to see her for himself.

"Sesshomaru, please wait! This is my family! _They're alive_!" she exclaimed, simply overwhelmed by the joy of it all as her fingers clung tightly to his sleeve. "This is my father, Mikeneko; Grandfather Hanshou; and Grandmother Hakkou," she introduced briefly, unnecessarily pointing them out in turn.

Sesshomaru made no motion, merely continued to look over the three of them as they stared back uneasily.

"So this is the great Lord Sesshomaru…" Hanshou spoke up, not intending to mock him in anyway. "You definitely live up to your reputation as a merciless killer."

His golden eyes stared, glad someone took notice, but indifferent nonetheless. He turned to Len:

"Lenezma, escort them away from here. I won't be back till late…"

"What?" she gasped as he turned his back on her once again, slipping out of her grip. "Take them where?"

"The mansion, of course."

Sesshomaru disappeared into the darkness of the trees, Lenezma smiling brightly. At least he understood how much this truly meant to her…

She turned back to her family, thrilled beyond words, literally leaving her speechless as she soaked in their sights and smells. It'd been so long this didn't seem possible!

"I still can't believe this… you've been alive all this time! And I never knew…" Mikeneko mumbled as Lenezma began leading them back to the mansion, taking a quick yet conveniently scenic route, showing off some of the best of the Western Plains. But Mikeneko stared at the dirt as they walked, his thoughts intent on something beyond Len's knowledge, causing his insides to churn mercilessly.

"But how?" Hakkou asked. "What happened? Suzuran said…"

"Need you say more?" Hanshou interrupted her quickly with a low growl in his voice as he slightly bared his fangs."No good lying wench… she lied to us! She lied to us and we fell for it, simple as that!"

"Suzuran…" Len whispered under her breath as she stared at her grandfather. "Mother? What do you mean? What did she say?" her voice suddenly raised as a horrible fear welled up inside of her, the truth revealing its twisted self before they could even speak it:

"She told us you were dead!" he cried out, his fangs much more evident than before, his fists balled up at his side.

Hakkou sighed at Hanshou's anger, turning to Len softly to explain in a little more detail, catching Mikeneko's distant gaze as they walked. "A long time ago, your father had come to our home to assist us with… some issues… We decided to follow him home to come and see you, but…"

"Suzuran had already set everything up by then."

Everyone stared at Mikeneko as he spoke, his eyes filled with melancholy, looking ahead but obviously thinking deeply back on that day. It would be the first time he had ever recounted the tale to anyone, and he did so with a lot more strength than even he thought possible.

"By the time I returned to the house, Suzuran was crying her heart out… or so I thought at the time.

"She began screaming… she said you'd been killed while playing out in the forest…" He smirked with a soft laugh to his voice, finding it almost funny as he thought back now, or was he enjoying a memory that played in his head? "You were always out there despite some of our warnings, so I had no real reason to doubt her.

"I tried comforting her, but she kept screaming… That was when we split: she couldn't stay with me, not after your death. Unable to persuade her otherwise, I left…"

"She… she told you I was killed?" Len muttered, unable to believe such a hurtful act. Who in their right mind could ever lie to someone like that? To convince someone of their child's death?

"We searched the forest," Hakkou continued, "looking for where you'd been killed, but found nothing, only the grave Suzuran told us was yours."

_A grave? _Something suddenly clicked in Lenezma's mind, an old memory long forgotten. "Wait… You wouldn't happen to remember if there were white and yellow flowers on the grave, would you?"

"Chrysanthemums… Suzuran's favorite," Mikeneko replied, obviously remembering, with that same distant voice of his, still refusing to meet any of their eyes. The flowers were just another touch as to why he should trust his wife, despite his disbelief; his hope.

Len's eyes gazed downward as they walked.

"That was the grave of a neighbor… another demon girl I used to play with on occasion. She'd been killed by other devils just a day or so after you left," she admitted to them, remembering the sadness she'd felt. "_I _picked those flowers from Mother's garden and put them there… She even yelled at me for picking them without permission…"

Hanshou's angry humph could easily be heard behind them.

"And what about you?" Hanshou asked Len. "What lies did that deceitful woman tell you?"

"Hanshou!" Hakkou snapped.

"No, he's right," Len defended him gently against her grandmother's reprimand. She knew she was only trying to ease Len and Mikeneko's feelings, but Lenezma had hardly any room for love towards her human mother, not after all the horrible things she's done. And at this point, she doubted Mikeneko would challenge such anger either, not when he felt the betrayal so much more strongly than the others, even over Lenezma.

Lenezma glanced Mikeneko's way sympathetically, saddened by the lack of optical communication, but knew how he felt.

As much as he felt betrayed, he had loved Len's mother, something that had probably stuck with him these past ten or so years. Considering the conditions under which they broke up, it was not surprising, but seeing his daughter alive and well tortured him and battled with his old love ruthlessly. He wanted to deny the love, and yet couldn't, not after all they had shared… They bore a child together, raising her in a loving environment… seeing Suzuran's heartbroken tears, hearing her hurtful words, ripping his heart apart…

Lenezma sighed before turning back to the other two.

"I don't think the lie she told me compares to the pain you all endured, but it hurt just the same.

"Not long after you'd left, she just… _told me_ she was leaving you, telling me flat out that she intended to break it off when you returned, as if expecting me to accept it without question.

"Like you, I tried talking her into staying together, but she sent me away … One morning, a few days later, she told me she was leaving to break it off, promising to let me see you once more if I behaved and stayed inside all day…" Len faded hoarsely, the old pains welling up just as they had for Mikeneko. Like him, she had never described to anyone what happened, not in detail like this, not even to Sesshomaru. "She was gone most of the day, returning late at night; I remember how anxious I was to see you, but when she came in crying… (her head shook) She claimed you had succumbed to a broken heart…"

"What?"

"It seems so stupid of me to believe her now that I think back on it, but what did I know? I was only a little kid, I didn't know any better… only that I'd never get to see my father again…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Mikeneko called gently, finally meeting her gaze with gentle, compassionate eyes. "If anything it's my fault for not sticking around longer, then I could have seen you again… could have saved you from that woman… But I was blinded with grief, unable to linger any longer than necessary, not when my wife rejected me and my daughter was no more… Of course I believed her, she was my wife – why shouldn't I? Especially when it came to you… I never dreamed she would sink so low as to lie about our daughter's death…" he faded miserably, his knuckles turning white as he fought back the tears, the lingering sadness and newfound hatred mingling painfully in his chest.

He hardly flinched as Hakkou's gentle hand graced his shoulder comfortingly; "Don't be so hard on yourself, Mikeneko… We were all blind to the truth…"

"But didn't she say anything about us? Didn't she think you'd wonder about us?" Hanshou called, still a little more angry than hurt, but definitely not as much as before.

"I asked, but… all she really said was you wouldn't be coming around anymore, not after what she did to your son…"

Silence fell upon them, all hurt, all tricked by the same woman whom they had loved at one point.

Lenezma's smile and voice did not return until they approached the manor, all of them hoping to put this horrible past behind them for now. Of course, she had not told them the aftermath – not yet, at least. If she had, it would certainly cause more anguish and anger, but it was not what she wanted.

They had found each other – a miracle, for sure – alive and well, and that was all that mattered. She wanted this to be a happy occasion, to relish in the warmth that she had missed all these years, to enjoy being in her family's company like before.

As they came upon the gates, an elated mood did indeed return to her. She ran ahead to stop in front of the doors (she made sure to lead them around to the front, to give them the grand entrance), waiting on them as they kept walking at their pace. She grinned.

"Everyone, welcome to Sesshomaru's mansion!"

Len pushed open the gates with relative ease, revealing the great, lush green yard with the beautiful mansion erected in the center, large walls scaling the yard to keep the devils out.

"Oh, wow!" Hakkou gasped, glancing around in awe.

"Certainly big enough," Hanshou muttered as he too gazed about. It should be pointed out yet again that Hanshou and the others are not used to such a rich surrounding – they have some wealth to their names, but nothing like this, and are thus impressed with such a domicile and surrounding terrain. "How many live here?"

"Well," Len giggled, "there are five of us…"

"What? You only have five people to this whole house?"

"Well it wasn't like Sesshomaru built it! It was handed down through his father!"

"Don't you have any servants or anything that keep the place orderly? You know, cooking and cleaning and all that?" Hanshou questioned yet again, surprised to hear that only _five_ people lived in that huge thing.

"Well, believe it or not, but Sesshomaru isn't exactly the social type and probably wouldn't have the patience to deal with any real servants. Besides, me and the short one pretty well take care of everything around here."

"_You_? You wouldn't even pick up after yourself as a kid and now you're cleaning house? How much have we missed?" her grandfather teased again.

Lenezma smiled playfully, forcing back the horrible memories that had brought her here. _More than you think, Grandfather, more than you want to know…_

"Oh, stop it, Hanshou! Lenezma is all grown up now!"

"Hmm… She must get it from the human side – I know sure as hell she didn't get it from you!"

Lenezma watched and laughed merrily as Hakkou punched his arm rather roughly, a sly grin never leaving his face.

Mikeneko also watched with a smile before glancing over the mansion yet again, somehow feeling at ease in this place and in present company. _Hmph, why am I not surprised the Great Dog General would have such a nice home?_ He thought as he and the others walked further inside, Lenezma shutting the gates behind them and joining them once again as she led them to the house, a slight bounce to her step.

Suddenly their ears caught the sound of approaching laughter, all turning to the left where two small girls game running up to them, but stopped almost instantly upon the sight of three new demons.

"Hey, Lenezma," Hanshou whispered, but loud enough for all three to hear. "Your kids don't look like either of you!"

"Ah!" Lenezma immediately gasped, turning to him with a horrified expression. "No! No! No! Those are NOT our kids!"

Calming herself - slightly - she called to the girls, urging them forward. Slowly, they finally approached, remaining close at Len's side.

"Come here, guys! I want you to meet some very special people!" she called to them with her motherly warmth, Kikka and Rin eyeing the strangers cautiously despite Len's friendly attitude.

Seizing their hands gently, she pulled them along until they were but a few feet from the strange demons, who looked back with warm expressions, but were really just as confused as they were. Who were these human girls? Why were they here?

"Leny," Rin cocked her head curiously, "Who are they?"

"Girls, I'd like you to meet my family… This is my father, grandfather, and grandmother…" she introduced, feeling her heart sing at these words, being able to show them off.

"Your family? But I thought…" Kikka muttered.

"So did I, but it turns out they're alive! We were lucky enough to run into each other at the edge of the forest!"

Kikka retained the same, reserved expression as she looked upon them, while Rin was now standing in the open with a silly grin. If they were Len's family, she knew she had nothing to fear!

Lenezma, bracing herself, lifted Kikka into her arms, holding her tightly as she spoke her next few words, staring directly into Mikeneko's eyes.

"This is Kikka; she's… my half sister…"

All eyes widened, but none so emotionally as Mikeneko's.

"You mean…?" he stuttered slightly.

Len nodded gravely, "Yes… She's full human."

In an instant, Lenezma knew that Suzuran's prediction had been accurate: her father looked as if he could have fallen over dead. Though they'd been separated for so many years, after hearing about her hideous lies, just beginning to accept her betrayal, a whole new wound was struck at these words; to hear of his lost love's separate child caused his heart to throb painfully within him, just as bad as before.

"And this," Len grabbed Rin's hand, intent on changing the subject quickly, "is Rin. She's not our real sister, but she's as close as she can get," she smiled down at her, Rin returning the smile, full of joy at Lenezma's words.

"Oh, I don't know," Hakkou smiled as she knelt in front of Rin, her motherly instinct kicking in, "I think she could pass off as being your sister pretty easily! She looks a lot like Kikka, and Kikka definitely resembles you!"

Rin beamed even brighter, giggling speechlessly while Kikka's anxiety lightened up a little, but she was still very nervous. There was a tension in the air, uneasiness that she knew came from the fact that she was Leny's half-sister, knowing there was some resentment towards her.

"Come on, I'll make everyone some lunch and then we can all catch up, all right?" she offered, receiving a cheer from Rin only as she began running towards the house, Kikka following her after being released, desiring to keep a distance between herself and these new demons, even if they were Lenezma's real family.

Len and her family followed in silence, Len wishing nothing more than for them to just talk, but couldn't find it in her heart to bring up any subject… she knew what they were thinking about.

They all settled in the kitchen while Lenezma began scrounging around for something quick to make. Until Len got Rin to talk with them, there was a quiet tension at the table.

After a while it gradually disappeared as Hanshou and Hakkou chatted softly with Rin and even Kikka. By the time Jaken came down - which was a very interesting time - Mikeneko had even begun to open up towards Kikka.

_They love them - I can tell! Even Father seems to be growing attached to Kikka… And I KNOW they all find Jaken one big kick!_ She smiled as Jaken's words began flying once again, trying to make up for any offenses, but only letting more words slip.

Apparently he was more keen towards Hanshou and Hakkou, being pure blooded demons despite their relation with one another. He was even pretty social with Mikeneko, though she knew he held it against him that he'd mated with a human. And now, she knew, that he did too.

When lunch was over, Len dismissed the girls to go play in the yard while Jaken was practically forced out, caught up in a conversation with Hakkou.

Left alone to themselves once again, Lenezma decided a quick, half-tour of the mansion would be a pleasant past-time before leading them to the fire room, where they could all settle down and talk some more, talk about things that were not mentioned before and were avoided with the munchkins around.

To start things off, Lenezma began to explain what happened after they were separated: her step-father, Kikka, they reason they left. None of them were pleased with Suzuran in the end, to say the least; even Mikeneko's hatred seemed to grow the more he heard.

Then she spoke of the old Lord and their horrible life with him. Even after leaving out some of the worst details - things which she only admitted to Sesshomaru, and barely at that - both Mikeneko and Hanshou were growling while the fire place was reacting wildly to Hakkou's fury.

"If Sesshomaru hadn't killed him, I'd be over there right now to do it myself!" Hanshou snarled.

"And that's pretty well it, that's been my life up until a few months ago, since we started staying here with Sesshomaru."

Hakkou and Hanshou exchanged glances.

"Speaking of Sesshomaru… Why is it that he allowed you to stay here? Not that we disapprove, but we've heard some pretty horrid stories about him."

Len blinked questioningly at Hakkou before grinning nervously. "Well, Sesshomaru had actually intended on killing Kikka and I on the night of the slaughter, but through some miracle, Rin vouched for us and begged he spare us… and he did. I think he initially figured he could use Kikka in order to keep Rin company, but he kind of got stuck with me," she gave a silly smile. "So as payment, I help out around the house and play with the girls, sort of a way to earn my keep."

"By the way you fought us back there, I figured you'd be helping keep the territory safe as well," Mikeneko smiled, remembering when she knocked him off his feet with her whip.

"Well, occasionally, yes… Sesshomaru was kind enough to agree to train me, making me stronger and reminding me what being a demon was about… But enough about me! I want to hear what's been going on in your lives!" she changed the subject rather abruptly, steering it away from the dog demon. She knew they would only question her more about him if this kept up, and feared they might catch on to the truth of their relation. Besides, she really was tired of reminiscing on her painful past; she wanted to hear about them and what they had been up to all these years.

They spent the next while telling her about the rest of their diversified family, almost every member falling for a different kind of creature; there was positively no prejudice within their blood.

Apparently they'd just visited her great-aunt Gecchouseki and her newborn, Tenkei. Her great-uncle and several of Mikeneko's cousins came as well, practically turning the whole thing into a family gathering, only using Tenkei as an excuse to come together.

Shortly afterwards, they went back out into the yard where Mikeneko and Hanshou were invited to play with Rin and Kikka, Hakkou and Lenezma politely refusing before taking a walk around the house, spending this short time together to catch up - just the two of them.

"And this is the backyard. It's a little more cluttered with trees, as you can see, and the walls have been overrun by all the flowers I planted back there," she added bashfully, feeling ashamed by the colorful overgrowth, untidy since she'd been paying more attention to her prospective garden than keeping this one in orderly fashion.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Sesshomaru actually gave in to my need to garden, allowing me to plant some seeds back here," she smiled, remembering that day so many weeks ago and their huge argument. Her smile was genuine, however, finding their fight amusing, especially considering how angry they were then and what they'd experienced since.

"So… he's been good to you, right? He hasn't hurt you has he?" her grandmother spoke carefully, the same maternal instinct kicking in yet again. Lenezma may have been lost to them, but that didn't mean she couldn't still be there for her after all these years.

"What? No! Sesshomaru… is Sesshomaru. As you said before, he lives up to his reputation, but he's been pretty lenient towards Kikka and I. You don't know how much I have him to thank for…"

Hakkou stared a moment as Len stared off at the trees, watching Ah-Un graze in the shade by the back wall. She grinned quickly.

"I noticed you never call him by 'Lord' Sesshomaru."

A flicker of resentment came back to her at these words, interrupting her silent reverence. "Why should I? He's _not_; and after my last lord, I don't intend on ever calling anyone that again."

"Then, might I ask, what he is to you?"

Len blinked curiously as her grandmother spoke, wondering if she could sense a bit of the truth. After gazing for a long moment, considering her words carefully, Len whispered her answer with a faint fondness and shy smile: "I guess… he's my teacher… my savior - on more than one account - and… I've come to think of him as a friend… Sesshomaru is probably the closest thing to a real friend I've ever had…"

Hakkou blinked in silent surprise. _A friend of the great Lord Sesshomaru? Is that even possible?_ But without a word of doubt, she smiled to herself before following Lenezma around the corner, heading back to the front yard. "You've certainly done well for yourself, haven't you? After all you've been through, you still managed to grow up into an intelligent and beautiful young woman… I'm very proud of you, Lenezma."

Len smiled lovingly back, nodding once to hold back her desire to hug this wonderful woman. "Thank you."

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

Sesshomaru approached the fire room, desiring to relax in the presence of the powerful flames before returning to the forest. It was getting late and he knew that certain demons only appeared in the dead of night, so he knew he had maybe an hour to rest.

He stopped at the murmur of voices, breathing in the strange scents. He could smell them all over, but only after hearing the voices did he realize that Lenezma and her family were in there, chatting the night away.

He stared long at the door as he thought of those people, of Lenezma…

She'd finally found her family – or, better worded, learned they were still alive. He knew he'd have to ask her the story behind this.

His eyelids came down upon his golden rods, his mind actually finding sentimentality as he felt… happy… for Lenezma. He knew the pain of losing your father, and could only dream of having that great man back in his life. But unlike Lenezma, there was no chance of that dream ever coming true.

However, despite the joy he felt in knowing Len was happy, despite his better judgment, he could not help but feel uneasy about those three. He knew nothing about them, but their character was not what concerned him.

They had all found each other through some, strange miracle, brought together again after years of separation, of solitude and torture on Lenezma's part. Frankly, there was only so much that could be shared in a day when there were so many emotions and memories to reminisce in. A single day was simply not enough to indulge in the other's company.

Basically, he feared she would leave with them.

Lenezma had been reunited with her family, surely she would want to be with them as long as she could; you could not fully come to appreciate the other's existence if hardly any time was spent together.

And his home would not shelter such ideas: not only was her family probably ready to get the hell out of Sesshomaru's company, but he wasn't exactly thrilled by their occupancy, not when there weren't enough beds, not when it disrupted everything he had built up so far with their daughter.

After a morning spent reminiscing over Lenezma and his slight obsession with her, after becoming excited by the prospect of spending another night with her close at his side, his heart clouded over angrily for being denied this simple pleasure, the only thing he had been looking forward to so eagerly.

He hated to feel this way: jealous of the attention she gave to them, even though he knew their predicament; anger for being stripped of his only hope; fearful that she would leave him.

Sesshomaru turned away from the door with growing rage, deciding to find relaxation elsewhere, away from the source of the problem. As he began striding away, the hall around him filled with orange light as the door was slid open gently.

"Sesshomaru?"

Simply hearing her voice caused him to stop despite what he tried to command his body. With a very casual air about him, he turned to look upon his beloved Lenezma tenderly with one eye.

This was probably the first time he'd gotten a clear view of her since they parted ways in his bedroom this morning. The kimono she wore looked somewhat familiar, but was altered greatly: it was the same, lavender kimono that had been torn up by the wolves on the day she turned human.

Jaken had done well in repairing it, transforming it into an outfit that he greatly wished he could have taken advantage of earlier had it not been for the discovery of her parents.

Instead of the usual, ankle-length robes, this one was short, almost up to her knees, which allowed her legs much more freedom than the traditional kimonos. To his slight dismay, however, her legs were not bare, but covered in a thin, black material. _This_, he recognized: those were the "pants" she had been given recently with her newest outfit. Though not really pants, in modern times they would be considered a pair of black tights, covering the entirety of her legs and even her feet.

The sound of the shutting door brought him back to reality, realizing Len had shut it behind her, separating them from her still conversing grandparents before approaching him delicately.

"Where are you going?" she cocked her head slightly, a strange emotion lingering in her eyes.

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"Why don't you come in here with us? I'm sure they want to see you more than a few minutes after finding out you won't kill them," she smiled, attempting to make a joke out of this, but of course he showed no sign of amusement.

"All right," she sighed. "Well, at least allow them to stay the night. I know it's kind of late to be asking, but I still wanted to run it by you. Please? I promise they won't be a bother!"

"They can stay," Sesshomaru finally replied after a few more moments of simply staring at her silly grin. Despite any qualms he may have had, he wasn't about to turn his mate's long lost family away. His mate…

"Thank you, Sesshomaru. And don't worry: they said they would leave in the morning."

He continued to stare as she spoke, merely gazing into her eyes insistently, sensing many different emotions in her eyes, thoughts that concerned this last statement…

"Well… I'd better get back to them… I'll see you later, Sesshomaru," she spoke, a feint glimmer of hope in her voice as she spoke, staring longingly back into his eyes. Like him, she had been looking forward to another night at his side, but both knew it was no longer an option at this point.

He watched as she turned and headed back towards the room silently with a faint air of sadness and disappointment despite what her smiles tried to portray.

_Damn._

Mikeneko and his parents continued to talk lightly, cups of tea in their hands as they sipped at it peacefully. All gazed upon the door as Lenezma reemerged, but found a much more interesting figure to watch come in from behind her: Sesshomaru entered the room with closed eyes, avoiding eye contact, instinctively heading for one of the nearby vacant chairs that surrounded the small fire.

They forced their eyes away, the room falling into silence beyond the crackling of the fire.

It wasn't as though any of them were nervous, but all found the moment awkward just the same. It was unknown to Mikeneko and the others if they would be seeing the dog demon again, but now that he was here, a slight apprehension filled the air, no one knowing what to say or if they should even attempt to start a conversation with him.

It was apparent that he would not be the one to start any interactions. Like them, he was uneasy in the company, especially when considering he'd come close to killing one of them just that morning.

Lenezma, who sat not far between Sesshomaru and Mikeneko, glanced between the two parties just as anxiously – both sides were important parts of her life, she wanted so desperately for them to get along with one another!

Just about to break the silence, Len was interjected by her grandfather, the loudest and most outspoken of them: "So!" he started, searching for the right words to say. "I take it you've been taking care of my granddaughter?"

Sesshomaru grumbled to himself as he forced himself to answer - there was a good chance they'd take his silent stare as a bad thing, and he constantly forced himself to keep Lenezma in mind.

"I have," he replied, attempting to be polite.

"We can't thank you enough for all you've done for her and Kikka," Hakkou spoke, smiling, but Sesshomaru did not even attempt to smile back. He'd respond, but that'd be the extent of it.

Lenezma glanced back and forth between the four of them as the silence began to creep back up on them. Something had to be done!

"Uh, Father? What were you saying before I left?"

"Oh! Right," Mikeneko started, easily realizing she simply wanted to ease the tension in the air. "Well, you were still really little when this happened, maybe a year or two. Now, apparently you thought…"

Sesshomaru sat in silence amongst these strangers for nearly half an hour, listening to their strange, yet oddly amusing tales. They were mostly memories from when Lenezma was still very young, while some of the less interesting tales concerned themselves.

As they chattered on, Sesshomaru took this chance not only to listen and learn, but to study these new demons as well. And within no time at all, it became obvious to him where Lenezma got her features: all of them loved to smile and laugh, Hanshou and Mikeneko were both agile and strong, as well as Hakkou, who definitely attributed to the looks department as well.

It wasn't uncommon to find an attractive fire spirit, for most tended to be particularly beautiful, often luring love struck victims into a fatal trap with just their aura.

Suddenly it struck Sesshomaru.

Lenezma had true fire running through her veins. It was why she was so certain that was her element, why she could manipulate the flame so well, possibly even contributing to the existence of her beasts; and to go one step further, he thought about how fire spirits could lure victims in with their looks… almost similar to what she'd done to him.

Upon inviting her to his home, somewhere in the back of his mind he had always felt something strange about her, but it was easily avoided; overlooked. But as he spent more and more time with her through their training, it had become harder to ignore that invisible force, eventually bringing him to desire her touch… That burning aura of hers…

He glanced at Lenezma, her cheeks red with embarrassment at her stupidity as an ignorant child. He could trace a few of Hakkou's attributes, as well as a few details passed down through the male portion of her family, but the rest was a mystery to him. He began to wonder what all she inherited from her mother…

Hakkou suddenly let out a great yawn as she stretched, the fire wavering slightly to her deep breath. "Oh! I suddenly feel so tired…"

"We should probably get to bed soon if we want to head out early," Hanshou added, bringing himself to a stand.

Soon all but Sesshomaru had risen, ready for a good night's sleep.

"Come on, I'll show you all to your rooms," Lenezma smiled, ushering them out the door, but Mikeneko hesitated in following. "Father?"

"Uh, give me a moment. I'll be up shortly."

Len glanced between him and Sesshomaru for a second, both silent as they met each other's eyes. With a silent nod, she closed the door behind her and led her grandparents up to their room.

The silence returned once again as both stared into the other's crisp, slit irises, almost sizing each other up before Mikeneko's mood lightened with a faint smile and strong nod of the head.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay in your home," he finally spoke, genuine in his appreciation. "And thank you for taking care of my daughter… Please continue to do so as long as she lives here."

Without a words response, Mikeneko could only assume that this powerful gaze of his was confirmation.

"If you know anything about Lenezma's past, I'm sure you have a lot of questions about our existence, but… I think it would be better for her to explain.

"What I'm about to tell you will also be brought up by her, I'm sure: we have asked her to come home with us, at least for a little while, so that we could have more time to be together. To stay here in your domain would... well, let's face it, neither of us desire that.

"It's just that… I haven't seen her in so many years… and to lose her again so soon hurts me… She has not given us her answer yet, for I'm sure she intends to ask you about it first; as such, I also ask for your permission. I doubt she would stay with us for very long, though… it is evident that she has grown quite an attachment to this place, but at this point, anything would suffice…" he faded softly, averting his eyes near the end.

But still Sesshomaru made no comment, simply watching him plead for time to spend with his only daughter. Sesshomaru also wished for this simple pleasure, but understood the feline's reasoning… He did not give an answer, and Mikeneko knew he would not get one.

But his efforts were not for naught. After sitting in their company for so long and listening to Mikeneko's words now, much of Sesshomaru's distrust and fears had melted away; they did not want to keep her for themselves, to take her away, they were just happy to find her after all these years, alive, happy, and safe.

With a forced smile, Mikeneko's gaze returned to the goldenrods before him, "Forgive me, I don't believe it is my place to be making such requests… But I _am _grateful for all that you've done for her. You saved her and Kikka from that brothel, gave them shelter and even taught her to defend herself. I must admit it is more than I would have expected from a demon such as yourself, but I couldn't be more indebted to you for all you've done. And besides, if not for that chance meeting this morning, me and mine would probably still be oblivious of her existence…"

With still a vacant gaze, Mikeneko finally began to bring his lingering to an end. He did not expect anything from Sesshomaru, merely wished to… talk… to thank him, and to explain a few things.

"Before I leave, however, there is one last matter I'd like to discuss with you," his eyes narrowed, revealing the serious intent behind his words. "Should you continue to watch over my daughter, there are some things about her you should know.

"As you know, she is part human, and thus reverts to one every so often. I know not if you have experienced her change yet, for it is a very fickle thing, very abnormal compared to most half-demons. Instead of a single day or night, she will remain a human for several days, following the full moon's cycle; not just any full moon, but the rare blue moon."

Sesshomaru hardly reacted, having indeed experienced her change. This 'blue moon' he spoke of, however, was new to him – was it really blue? It looked the same as any other full moon that he could remember…

"But the full moon is not the only problem. I'm not sure if Lenezma is under the same curse as the rest of us, but all the same it would be wise to keep her inside on nights with an eclipsed moon."

Sesshomaru's hand twitched. _The eclipsed moon?_

"If exposed to its light, she will be tormented by any influence she is currently under. If she is angry, it will grow tenfold and she will turn extremely vicious; if she is sad or hurt, the pain will be amplified. No matter what the case, she will lose control over her mind and body, consumed by the emotion with her powers running amok, unrestrained. So if you can, keep her out of the moon's light; if not, all that is around her is in danger, including the girls and yourself."

It was the first time that Mikeneko had gotten a reaction out of the stone cold dog demon, his golden eyes staring back with a narrow gaze; he could not tell if this was out of recognition or wonder, curious of the rage she would become intoxicated with. Either way, Sesshomaru had been warned, and Mikeneko no longer needed to stay.

"Please take my warnings to heart; from what I've heard, you have taken good care of both of those girls – Kikka may not be my real daughter, but as long as Lenezma loves her, so will I… I hope I can trust them in your care."

Once again, Sesshomaru made a response, but this one surprised him: the dog demon had actually nodded, as if accepting his words and promising to uphold this responsibility.

Mikeneko nodded once, "Thank you, Sesshomaru… That is all I wanted to say," he bowed respectfully before heading towards the door, opening it just a pinch before glancing one last, gentle smile: "In case you do not see us off, I'd like to say it was an honor to meet you and be spared – but do not worry, everything we've seen here will be our secret. Farewell, Lord Sesshomaru."

After all of that, Mikeneko finally slipped out of the room and closed the door gently behind him, following Lenezma's scent towards the stairs, leaving Sesshomaru alone…

"There you are! What took you so long?" Lenezma greeted as she met Mikeneko at the corner of the hall and stairs, coming back for him since he still hadn't come up yet.

"Sorry about that, I guess I had more things to discuss than I thought," he grinned almost goofily as Len led him towards the bedroom hall.

"So… what did you talk about?" she turned to him curiously.

"Oh, this and that… I just wanted him to know how grateful we are for all he's done… I'm not sure how well he enjoyed that – the man never said a word! But… I feel better knowing it has been said."

Len nodded easily before leading him to the spare bedroom between Rin and Kikka's room and Sesshomaru's. Her grandparents were sleeping in her room at the end of the hall, while she would be rooming with the girls.

As Mikeneko followed her, he gave a faint sigh, feeling honest in the words he'd spoken tonight. And as he watched her, he could not help but wish he had made one last comment to the dog demon, yet did not know how or at what point to mention it: _Whatever happens, please don't hurt her…_

Of course Mikeneko had no idea of the existing relationship between them, nor did his parents, but all of them felt, deep down inside, that a man and a woman who shared this great territory, with no other options but each other, were deemed to have some form of connection at one point or another. Whether it had happened or had yet to occur was anyone's guess, but the reality of it was almost inevitable.

Sesshomaru's preferences were unknown, but Lenezma's lack of prejudice made her susceptible to fall for just about any bloodline. And if she was indeed like the rest of her family, she was almost certain to wind up with a man of some other heritage far from her own.

"I'm afraid it's a little musty in here, we usually don't do too much with this room. But there's a small window on the far wall to air it out if you like,"

Mikeneko nodded vacantly as she spoke before turning to her once again, silent, a solemnity that was very unbecoming of such a carefree feline like himself. His green eyes glowed eerily in the candlelight, staring intently at Lenezma as she stood before him, tall and beautiful. He smiled, a grin that looked as if a tear would follow at any second.

"I still can't believe you've been alive all these years…" he sighed, his hand brushing some of her hair to the side. "You look so much like your mother…"

Lenezma's grin faded at those words. "Hopefully looks are all I got from her,"

And with one final goodnight, Mikeneko and Lenezma hugged each other tightly, a tear escaping her eye as she embraced him so powerfully, feeling her heart warm to his familiar touch.

Back in the fire room, Sesshomaru had not moved far since Mikeneko made his exit, now sitting idly and patient against the wall behind him, considering everything the father had said and more:

_I do not understand this 'blue moon' he spoke of, or how it might be calculated… I shall ask Jaken about it later, perhaps he knows. _

_Right now I'm more worried about the eclipse moon… he said it had the power to make her lose control, lost in whatever emotion she was bound to at the time. The moon was indeed obscured that night, and I think her window was open… But what was she feeling when it happened? She was in bed when we found her, ready to sleep, but…_

His heart cringed as he remembered how her body once rejected him, how it had caused her pain whenever he would touch her, even when in the depths of the eclipse curse… Could it be that Lenezma was actually thinking about him when it happened? The reason the pain she endured at his touch was so much more agonizing for her than usual?

In one sense he was touched that she had been thinking about him, perhaps even to the extent the pains had returned just because of her thoughts; but in another way, he felt just as horrible as when he realized her bodily rejection, to think that he always meant to touch her with grace and tenderness and yet she was forced to endure an unnatural pain that coursed through her body, all because of the simple desire to be with her…

_Lenezma…_

It was at that very moment that his head rose to approaching footsteps, watching as his favorite feline's figure slipped through the doors daintily, closing them behind her as she casually joined him on the floor.

She settled next to him, staring into the base of the fire where the wood burned slowly.

"Now was that really so bad? Spending just a little time with my family?" she smirked, refraining from laughing at his lack of response, continuing to stare into the fire. "Well, thank you anyway… It meant a lot to me that you decided to stay," she leaned against his arm. "Besides, I'm sure you got your fill on embarrassing stories about me – kind of strange hearing about my life through someone else, isn't it?"

For her benefit, he came close to smiling in response – close – but it was only revealed through his eyes.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru…" she whispered softly before snuggling up against him closely. "I have the girls… I'm with you… and my family is alive and well… I don't think I've ever been this happy…"

It was at this point when Lenezma finally divulged the truth of their existence to him, about her mother's awful lies.

He made few verbal responses to the story, but certainly felt a sense of betrayal. He understood Lenezma's hatred towards the woman before, but to convince her of her father's death was unforgivable by all means.

After all was said and done, an eerie moment of silence followed, Len fidgeting lightly at his side – Sesshomaru was positive she was trying to find a way of telling him about the idea to leave with them. Giving her all the time in the world, Lenezma finally broke the silence:

"Hey, um… listen…" she started, her hesitation catching Sesshomaru's eyes, but she refused to gaze back. "Seeing my family after all these years has really been a… a big shock to my system. I haven't seen them since I was very small, and… well, I'd like to spend more time with them. But no matter how genial you may be, we all know you don't care much for their staying. So…"

Sesshomaru's gaze returned to the warm blaze of the fire. "…You want to go with them."

"I mean, it wouldn't be for very long!" she added quickly, hoping it may not seem as bad, an attempt more or less for her own benefit. "It was just this morning that I realized they're alive, but it hasn't truly sunk in. I feel that if I spend more time with them, I'll come to appreciate it more… When that time came, I would return."

"Lenezma…" he called softly, still staring into the burning embers. "Why are you asking me if you are allowed to leave?"

Len gasped softly, her wide blue eyes revealing her expression more than that breath. He turned to her softly…

"Not once have you called me 'Lord' nor pledge any form of allegiance to me. Thus you have no reason to ask; you are not bound by my word as others are. If you desire to leave with your family, then do so."

Lenezma stared deeply into his eyes as they reflected the fire's glow. Where she thought she had finally learned to recognize his emotions through his eyes, these senses failed her now. There was an undistinguishable look about his goldenrods, something she'd never encountered before.

"Just because I am not bound to your word doesn't mean I shouldn't ask for your consent on the issue… That's what people do if they truly care about each other…"

And that was all it took for Sesshomaru's longing to return.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru…" Len spoke softly, her eyes glowing peacefully in the fire's light. "Also, I was wondering…"

"You may."

Len blinked vacantly before smiling, "You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"You were curious if Rin and Kikka could accompany you." Len blinked hard several more times. "They may."

Lenezma smiled and shook her head softly before embracing him gently, "Thank you, Sesshomaru. I promise we won't be gone long… just wait…" she whispered faintly as she rose up higher in order to match his height, a seductive glow in her radiant sapphires that only called out to him more. And when her lips met his, he could sense her thoughts behind it: not only had she thanked him verbally, but she wanted to do so physically as well.

Their kiss was strong yet innocent, a quality that was slowly fading as Lenezma pressed on, pushing it beyond the usual boundaries of sweet passion.

The intensity began to pick up hastily, finally driving Sesshomaru to do something he had long desired to do – and Lenezma went without a fight.

Pushed to his limit, Sesshomaru grabbed her shoulders and flipped her over onto her back, coming down on her with all lust intended, his lips aiming straight for her neck.

Her claws grabbed at his shirt roughly, one hand grasping the back of his head as it snaked up the side of her face, their lips meeting once more in aggravated ecstasy.

His left arm was wrapped tightly around her torso, keeping her body as close to his as possible while the other hand assaulted her ribcage and even her breast, stroking the length of her side roughly before gliding down and around her thigh. Her parted legs reacted to this single touch, both knees rising around him, accepting him in.

Her gasp rang loud and clear in his ears – it was the first time she had felt like him like this, his manhood the closest its ever been to her center, rocking back and forth against her pelvis, sending shivers down her spine, her claws about to tear into his shirt even before his mouth at her neck accentuated this heightened sensation.

Slowly his kisses rose higher, following her jawbone back up to her voluptuous lips, enhancing the euphoria she'd fallen into. When he would reconnect their lips, she would be ready, ready to unleash the building tempest inside of her.

Her heart quickened with every touch, every inch he covered to return to her lips building the anticipation. Finally! His lips were elevated just above hers, the hunger inside of her crying out to meet them with her own.

Len's claws tightened her grip and she heaved herself up, too desperate to wait any longer, reaching for him…

But his head backed away.

For a moment, the waver of the flames was the only movement that took place.

Still clinging to him, her heart beating powerfully from within her, Lenezma stared into his eyes with clear confusion, unable to understand why he did not kiss her, why he stopped so suddenly.

Sesshomaru could see the longing in her eyes, hurting him even more to do what he must: he closed his eyes and sighed deeply as he leaned forward to rest his forehead upon hers, making sure to keep his lips out of reach, his own chest throbbing painfully in its boney cell.

Len held her breath as he moved, wanting him to embrace her as he always did, readying herself for some kind of tease as he opened his mouth to speak…

"Goodnight, Lenezma…"

Lenezma simply lay there in silent confusion, listening to her heart rate calm … _What?_

It was at the same time that Sesshomaru began to push himself back up, still bearing a pained expression upon his face so that the severity of the moment came crashing down on Lenezma, causing her heart to beat in agony as her eyes closed dejectedly.

Sesshomaru had pulled himself away and leaned back against the wall, his eyes avoiding any and all parts of her to prevent this growing hunger from getting any worse.

They couldn't do it… not this… not now…

Lenezma came to terms with this fact before pushing herself back up, understanding his reasoning – he was right, this was a bad time. Her father and grandparents were trying to sleep not from here, as were the girls even though they did not have the ears of the felines – probably wouldn't need them. They couldn't do this… and yet she wanted to…

Lenezma slowly came to a stand, also averting her eyes from his visage, to avoid feeling her heart cringe at his denial…

Very slowly, she headed towards the door, the silence between them unbearable; "Goodnight, Sesshomaru…"

His chest writhed in agony as soon as the door shut behind her. A clawed hand grasped at his shirt, wanting to make it stop at all cost, even if it meant ripping the blasted thing out of him. He had not felt this way since first becoming attracted to Lenezma, and had forgotten just how severe it could really be.

She had pushed him – she claimed she knew her limits, but it seemed obvious she didn't.

_No, she knew what she was doing… She meant to push me like that, her reactions only proving that she wanted it… _His heart cringed just at that thought, knowing she wanted him to do it, to throw her down like that…

So as usual, she teased him into getting her way. She allowed him to pin her down, to be consumed by this hunger. She was willing to commit herself right then and there to him, despite her family's presence just upstairs – she had parted her legs for him, after all, allowing him access to a sacred area that, when properly met, would truly bind them to one another: they would officially be mates.

The disappointment she felt when leaving was overwhelming, torturing him even more. Why did this have to happen? Why was it that the one night she opened herself up to him, the one night he could have had her, had to be the one night they couldn't?

Why was this happening? Why did it seem like every time Sesshomaru's life appeared to be on track, something had to happen to disrupt its flow?

First his half-blooded brother, then his father's death; finding the Tetsusaiga only to learn that he could not wield it; Naraku, etc… When he had reclaimed this manor, the four of them had settled in nicely for quite some time, disturbed by the appearance of Lenezma and all the trouble she brought with her. And when he tried to win her over, she rejected him. And now, now that she was his and willing after so long, her family had to appear out of the blue and upset the balance yet again.

Was fate really so determined to make life hell? Not just for him, but it had played quite a number on poor Lenezma's life as well: her mother broke up their family and married an abusive human, she lived in a brothel all for Kikka's safety, had to put up with all his shit… Had life, after giving her a second chance at happiness by living here in Sesshomaru's home, decided to ruin things for her once again?

Another sigh escaped his breath, his chest still hurting considerably when he thought about his sweet Lenezma, but he knew she would understand… Now simply was not the best time. They would have to wait for a time to be completely alone to fully relish in the bliss – no demonic family, no Rin, no Kikka, no Jaken, and if possible, no Ah-Un. Just them…

"Please wait, Lenezma… our time will come, I promise you… no matter what it takes… I will make you mine…"

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

The next morning, daylight rolled around a lot quicker than usual, it seemed.

After a quick breakfast between everyone (excluding Sesshomaru, of course), all assembled in the front yard near the large gates, Jaken and Ah-Un present to see the young travelers off.

Kikka and Rin were dressed in casual kimonos, each holding a small bag full of personal belongings for their trip, both looking absolutely adorable. Lenezma, too, was dressed for travel, wearing an older kimono that still had a certain beauty to it, while also bearing a satchel of goods. She wasn't as cute as the girls, but nice just the same.

If only her appearance was what concerned her the most.

_Where's Sesshomaru?_ She wondered almost worriedly as she would glance around the yard once in awhile, searching for him, hoping he would come to see them off…

Hakkou noticed her occasional glance.

"Is everyone set?" Hanshou called loudly, smiling as Rin and Kikka bounced with excitement. "I hope you have everything! We won't be able to turn around for anything if we hope to get there in time for supper!"

"Don't worry! Leny helped us to make sure we packed enough!" Kikka smiled back, glad to no longer be afraid of them. In fact, after playing with Mikeneko and Hanshou yesterday, Hanshou actually asked them to simply call him "Grandfather" like Lenezma. Needless to say it had brought bright smiles to their faces. Neither of them had ever experienced their grandparents before, so to adopt Leny's seemed almost like a dream come true.

"All right! So are we all set then?" he called again, glancing around at their new companions.

"Wait! We can't leave yet!" Rin cried out suddenly, catching them off guard. "Not until I say goodbye to Lord Sesshomaru!"

Lenezma gasped faintly, surprised that Rin was waiting for him though she should've known better. She tried to smile, "Rin, I'm not sure if he's coming…"

"But he has to see us off! He just has to! I want him to know that I'll be bringing him a bunch of flowers once I get back!"

Lenezma stopped Jaken before he could retort rudely – and so did Sesshomaru: "I'll be looking forward to it," he replied with a purely emotionless voice, making him appear rather rude and sarcastic in most eyes, only Rin and Lenezma (and maybe Kikka) knowing the truth.

He had appeared in the gateway without detection from any of the demons present, all surprised to find him suddenly standing there, once again decked out in his full armory.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" both of the young girls cried out, running to him strangely joyous – Len's family was completely shocked at their fascination with the dog demon, personally knowing him only as a ruthless killer and the man who helped their daughter. If he had helped Len and Kikka, perhaps that was the story behind Rin as well?

If only they knew that everyone here was alive because of a strange act of kindness – even Ah-Un, who, though given to Sesshomaru as a form of gift, had been well cared for over the years, and treated much better than Jaken.

"I knew you'd come!" Rin smiled as she bounced at his feet. "Will you wait for us to return?" His reply was sweet and simple - a mere nod of the head - but both girls took it to heart.

"Well then, now that that's settled, shall we get going?" Hanshou smiled down at the girls, who turned to him nodding enthusiastically. "Lenezma?"

Len's gaze jumped back to her grandfather's, stunned to hear her name after she had been staring at Sesshomaru ever since his appearance. With a bit of a stutter, she nodded once, trying to keep herself from meeting Sesshomaru's eyes, knowing they were on her at this point.

One-by-one, Lenezma's estranged family filed out the front gate, the girls leading the way with Mikeneko and parents right behind them, Hanshou offering to carry their bags for them should they get tired.

"Farewell, Sesshomaru," Hakkou nodded to him as she passed, smiling.

Sesshomaru still found her the oddest of the three, remembering the strange looks she'd randomly thrown at him, none of which he understood.

Lenezma gave Ah-Un a quick bit of loving before following after them: "Be good, Ah-Un! Keep an eye on the place for me and make sure Jaken stays in line." Jaken hmphed at this comment. "And _you_ keep an eye on that crazy lord of yours!"

"It will certainly be easier without all of you in the way! … But, have a safe journey… and take care of those crazy sisters of yours…" he mumbled louder than he had meant to, Lenezma smiling warmly, touched to hear him actually speak some form of fondness towards them.

"I will. See ya!" she waved amiably before jogging after everyone, but slowed reluctantly as she passed Sesshomaru, meeting eyes with him for only a second…

Ah-Un and Jaken walked closer to their lord in order to watch the only females of the house walking away from them, heading towards Mikeneko's home in the east. The two-headed dragon groaned sadly as he watched them go, the imp and canine remaining silent.

"Everyone!" Hakkou suddenly turned around, "Wave!"

As if on cue, all six of them turned and waved their arms widely, the girls crying out "Bye!" as they did so, just as cheerful as always.

Jaken chuckled as he waved his arms as widely as he could, while Ah-Un roared their farewells; Sesshomaru remained silent and still as he watched, amused by the girls, but focused more on Lenezma.

_"We'll be back soon… Wait for me, will you?"_

_"… Everyday…"_

-/\-\/-/\-\/-/\-

The small group drew further and further away from the mansion, excited to be together, but Mikeneko could see a strange look upon his daughter's face.

"Lenezma? What is it?"

"Huh? Oh, er… it's nothing," she replied faintly, involuntarily glancing over her shoulder.

His gaze narrowed but softened. "Are you all right? …Are you sure about this?"

Lenezma stared at the ground, lost in thought, before raising her head strongly and meeting his emerald eyes firmly. She nodded her head once, and followed her family through the beloved forest and away from the Western Plains; "Yes… I'm ready."

* * *

"… _Everyday…"_

* * *

Ahh! Oh my god! That's it! That is IT!

I know - What the hell kind of ending is that? It's the last chapter, it's supposed to be epic, yet it was probably disappointing. I mean, Len found her family, Len and Sesshy ALMOST had sex, and then she takes the girls and leaves with her family. What the hell, right? Sorry, but that's just the way it goes! Besides, that's what part two is for!

ANYWAY! I would just like to thank you all for reading and reviewing my fanfic, which took up more of my life than it did yours (hard to believe, isn't it?) and I hope you all will come back for the second part, "Return to the Western Plains".

Thanks again everyone!

-Jet

PS: Okay, so... TECHNICALLY I have a few chapters of the sequel, "Return to the Western Plains" up, but, for your own good, ignore them. I only left it up for those who had already read and commented, because I am going to be changing things! Lots and lots of changes are being made, and I'd hate for you to read those chapters only for it to change. Obviously I can't stop you if you still want to read and see what they're about, but I just wanted to warn you now. As soon as I finish the changes and get some consistent chapters flowing, I more than welcome you! I love all of you for even giving me a chance! So please check in for those updates and, as always, sorry! D:


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